Empowering Businesses for Sustainable Success
As North Carolina works to combat the spread of COVID-19 and sustain our economic momentum, the NC Chamber is committed to equipping job creators with the latest data-driven resources, empowering you to continue protecting lives and livelihoods across our state. We will update this page with new and relevant federal and state resources as they become available. If you are aware of relevant information or resources that you believe would be valuable to share with the business community, please email us and share your ideas.
NC Snapshot | State & Federal Updates | Briefings & Webinars | Small Business Resources
General Resources for Business
Job creators have shown we have what it takes to adapt our strategies to the needs of our businesses and our people, supporting safe workplaces as we continue to help move North Carolina forward. These resources will empower you to keep protecting lives and livelihoods in our workplaces and across our state’s communities.
- US Chamber: The Path Forward
*Includes the timely issues in COVID catered toward the business community. In the most recent edition, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy discussed the omicron variant - CDC: Workplaces & Businesses Page: Plan, Prepare, Respond
*Includes industry-specific information as well as resources for returning to work and post-vaccine considerations - N.C. DHHS: Businesses and Employers Resource Page
*Includes information about the latest state guidance and additional resources for NC businesses - NC Chamber: Employer Guide to Reopening
*Includes reopening resources compiled throughout the pandemic by our NC Chamber team - SHRM: Coronavirus and COVID-19 Resources
*Includes tools tailored for human resource professionals (some resources may require SHRM membership to access) - American Psychiatric Association: Returning to the Workplace Guide
*Includes mental health resources to support employees through their transition back to the workplace
*Resources tailored specifically for small businesses can be found here or by clicking the “Small Business Resources” button at the top of this page
Vaccine Resources
Access the tools and information you need to make the most informed decisions about vaccines in your workplace.
- OSHA: Protecting Workers: Guidance on Mitigating and Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in the Workplace (8/13/21)
*This guidance is designed to help employers protect workers who are unvaccinated or otherwise at-risk as well those who are fully vaccinated but located in areas of substantial or high community transmission - CDC: Information for Employers and Employees
- NC Chamber: COVID-19 Vaccine Resources for Employers
*Includes vaccine resources compiled by our NC Chamber team throughout the pandemic - National Association of Manufacturers: Guide to Help Build Confidence in the Vaccine Against COVID-19
- U.S. Chamber: COVID-19 Digital Resources Center
- U.S. EEOC: What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act and other EEO Laws
*The EEOC also maintains a COVID resource page for any other legal questions
Testing Resources
Get the latest guidance for developing and implementing a robust COVID-19 testing plan that meets the needs of your business.
- CDC: Testing in Non-Healthcare Workplaces (3/17/21)
*Covers numerous testing updates for select workplaces, including frequency of testing and testing without known or suspected exposure to COVID-19 (screening testing) - U.S. Chamber: Standardized COVID-19 Employee Screening Questionnaire
OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard Resources for Employers
The Biden Administration’s COVID-19 shot-or-test mandate for workers at large employers was withdrawn Jan. 26, 2022 by the U.S. Department of Labor’s workplace safety agency. Although OSHA is withdrawing the vaccination and testing ETS as an enforceable emergency temporary standard, the agency is not withdrawing the ETS as a proposed rule. The agency is prioritizing its resources to focus on finalizing a permanent COVID-19 Healthcare Standard.
On January 13th, the U.S. Supreme Court stayed the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals decision regarding the Biden Administration’s employer vaccine mandate for large businesses in a final ruling. The Supreme Court found that the U.S. Department of Labor did not have the statutory authority to enforce the mandate on employers. However, in a separate mandate, the Supreme Court said that vaccinations can be enforced for the estimated 20 million health care workers who treat Medicare and Medicaid patients. The full Court upheld the stay/appeal. The larger employer ruling dissolves that mandate in its entirety and all employer requirements previously associated with it. However, employers do still have the option to require the vaccine of their employees on their own accord. For the many health care members we have, know that we are continuing to follow this issue closely and will continue to look for ways to provide you with timely resources. To receive continued updates on the ETS as they become available, please click below.
- OSHA: ETS Homepage
- OSHA: ETS Healthcare ETS
- OSHA: ETS Employer FAQ – Updated
- Federal Register: Supreme Court full text
- OSHA: Healthcare ETS Webinar
Disclaimer: The NC Chamber seeks to provide access to general information that may be relevant to individuals and entities responding or reacting to the COVID-19 outbreak. Prior to acting on the basis of information presented here, members and non-members should consult their own professional advisors for information and counsel specific to the individual and unique situations faced by organizations, individuals and corporations. The opinions, interpretations and recommendations of the NC Chamber are informational only and should not be relied upon by the recipient as legal or professional advice. The NC Chamber has not undertaken to ascertain the accuracy or reliability of the content of information provided or linked here. Users of this information accept any and all risks associated with its use and, by accessing the information, agree that the NC Chamber has no special relationship or liability to user.