USA Today Quotes Bob Lian on COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates

November 23, 2021

Reading Time : 1 min

Contact:

Jacinta O'Shea-Ramdeholl

Director of Communications

Sarah Richmond

Senior Communications Manager

USA Today has quoted Akin Gump labor and employment practice head Bob Lian in its article “$700K for defying vaccine requirement? Democrats push for jump in workplace fines.” The article discusses Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) recent COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

In the article, Lian noted that, should OSHA’s vaccine requirement go into effect, he doesn’t expect the agency to severely punish companies’ making a genuine effort to comply, saying “I think the goal here is to solve a public health crisis. If employers are making good faith efforts at compliance…you're probably not going to get the hammer dropped on you.”

Further, Lian advises against raising OSHA’s level of fines, noting that raising them any higher may incentivize companies to fight the agency rather than simply resolve the matter. He added that OSHA’s current suggestion for fines strikes the right balance and are significant enough to serve as a deterrent.

Share This Insight

© 2024 Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. All rights reserved. Attorney advertising. This document is distributed for informational use only; it does not constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Akin is the practicing name of Akin Gump LLP, a New York limited liability partnership authorized and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under number 267321. A list of the partners is available for inspection at Eighth Floor, Ten Bishops Square, London E1 6EG. For more information about Akin Gump LLP, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP and other associated entities under which the Akin Gump network operates worldwide, please see our Legal Notices page.