Dear Members of the Safety and Health Codes Board:

I write to you today in regard to the proposed changes to the COVID-19 permanent workplace standard. 

The termination of Governor Northam’s state of emergency has created confusion in the business community due to the many conflicting sources of ongoing health regulations.  While many may look at the expiration of our state of emergency as welcome news that the pandemic is coming to an end, business owners still operate under regulations that are now outdated due to vaccinations and evolving federal guidelines.  With capacity limits and mask mandates eliminated but a strict COVID-19 standard still in place, many Virginia business owners don’t know which regulatory framework they should follow.

To eliminate such confusion (and burden) on businesses and their employees as they seek to recover, it makes the most sense to rescind the standard as has been done with Virginia’s state of emergency.  

If—and only if—it is the will of the Safety and Health Codes Board to keep a standard in place, it should mirror Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines so business owners need not worry about conflicting information from our state and federal governments.  The CDC has long asked us to follow the science and a less burdensome approach to COVID-19 mitigation will allow for a speedier recovery while still keeping employees safe.

Our businesses are committed to the safety and welfare of our customers, employees, and community.  Please help ensure a speedy economic recovery by eliminating burdensome regulations on our businesses.