When the new COVID-related mandates for businesses were announced in September, it made a lot of my clients break out into a cold sweat.
Just when it looked like they’d clawed their way out of the pandemic pit, there is potential fresh load of regulatory mud was dumped on their heads.
So, lately I’ve been fielding a lot of concerned (or downright panicked) calls:
“Susan, we’ve got around **100 people working for us**, but I’m not sure if the new regulations apply to us or not?”
“Susan, **how can I afford to keep my people employed** and also comply with mandates for vaccination or weekly testing?”
“Susan, **I’m confused** about all the new OSHA regulations–and I’m afraid they’re gonna slap me with huge fines if I get it all wrong!”
If you’re also feeling confused, overwhelmed, or anxious, know this:
**You’re not alone.**
As a recent article in Fortune magazine put it, “There are plenty of unanswered questions surrounding [the vaccination mandates] but the tens of millions of people and companies that will be impacted by them are bracing for a change.
After the year that was 2020, small business owners have been working round the clock to get their companies back on track and in the black.
No small feat when you consider ongoing difficulties like supply-chain issues and labor shortages.
(Think shipping containers stuck on loading docks and millions of employees walking out in what’s been dubbed “the Great Resignation.”)
So, trying to sort through and understand new OSHA regulations, on top of everything else you’ve got on your plate, might make you feel like you’re drowning.
**So how do you find a life raft?**
If you’ve been following my posts for a while, you’ll know [I always recommend outsourcing](https://terzakisandassociates.com/blog/which-do-you-value-more-your-money-or-your-time) tasks like these to experts.
Not only to get your time back (because, say it with me now, Time = Dime) but also because people who specialize in certain areas are going to handle those things for you much better than you could alone.
One client was on the right track when he told me he tried to turn to his CPA for help. In “normal” times that would have been a good idea.
**But guess what?**
These still aren’t normal times, and the CPAs are all bogged down.
From Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loans, EIDL loans, to Employee Retention Tax-Credits, and now tax season kick-off – they’ve got their own sea of pandemic-related paperwork to swim through.
So please don’t tap them right now. They’re paddling as fast as they can.
If all of this makes you feel like hyperventilating, allow me to hand you a paper bag.
**Here are couple of key points that should help you breathe a lot easier about all this:**
1. The mandates are not in effect yet. _That’s right_: **not in effect**.
OSHA hasn’t issued the ETS (emergency temporary standard) that will put it into effect. When it does, likely by the end of October (still waiting!), enforcement won’t start until around 75 days after that.
So, you’re looking at mid-to-late December, barring legal obstacles that could slow it down further.
2. Odds are your company is not going to be affected. **I repeat: not going to be affected.**
According to [data updated this month by NAICS](https://www.naics.com/business-lists/counts-by-company-size/), only 1.5% of all U.S. businesses have 100 or more employees.
The vast majority — 17,283,662 companies—have 99 or fewer employees. And of those, over 79% have only 1-4 employees.
**Key Point:** That’s full-time employees, remember. Independent contractors paid on 1099s don’t count.
**How’s your breathing now? Feeling any calmer?**
There’s a lot of noise out there, but as a business owner, you have to decide if it helps you, or if it’s a distraction.
I can tell you, unless you’re one of the 1.5% of U.S. companies who have 100 or more full-time W-2 employees, **all the noise is just a distraction.**
**PLEASE:** _Don’t let it derail you._
It’s not a question of **how** but **who** can filter out the static, do the critical thinking, and digest all the information out there, **so you can stay focused on your business growth plan and keep moving forward.**
At Terzakis & Associates we provide the expertise, programs, and services to support small business owners just like you to not only survive but thrive — in times both normal and not-so-normal.
Whether it’s about OSHA regulations (or any other Federal agency) or other business concerns that may be keeping you up at night, Terzakis & Associates can help.
For more practical and proven guidance for your business, [click here](https://terzakisandassociates.com/) to sign up for our newsletter.
We’d love to get to know you!
UPDATE: [click here](https://www.saferfederalworkforce.gov/faq/contractors/) for official update from OSHA 11/01/2021
