I am a small business owner in Virginia who opposes making the COVID-19 Workplace Safety Emergency Standard permanent. Six months into the pandemic, I have learned to adapt to this unprecedented time by implementing safety protocols from a number of federal and state entities to ensure physical distancing and extensive sanitization.  I want to keep my employees and customers safe because I care about their welfare.

Now is not the time to make the emergency temporary standard permanent when it’s likely this pandemic will be temporary. Imposing “one size fits all” COVID-19 regulations on all employers is unreasonable especially when guidance is continually changing as we learn more about the virus. The Board needs to take the time to see what challenges employers are facing implementing the emergency regulations before taking any further action.

My company takes its responsibility for protecting its employees seriously.  Making the COVID-19 emergency regulations permanent will only make a difficult situation worse for employers and employees.  I remain concerned about the impact many of the provisions of the emergency regulations are having on my business and encourage the Board to not make them permanent. Making these regulations, which were never adequately discussed with the businesses who actually have to implement them, permanent is ridiculous. Small businesses like mine work very hard to make sure their employees stay safe so we can continue to operate and not lose our livelihood.