News

ISSA LARU—Register for ISSA’s July Advocacy Webinar Series

Welcome to the ISSA Legislative & Regulatory Update, our biweekly roundup of the latest public policy issues impacting the cleaning industry. This update touches on a new ISSA July Advocacy Webinar Series, more than 25 U.S. states ending enhanced unemployment benefits, contributing to the ISSA Advocacy Fund this Fourth of July, and more.

ISSA Advocacy

Register Today for ISSA’s July Advocacy Webinar Series!
Register today for ISSA’s July Advocacy Webinar Series! As our economy rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic, there are many changes to government rules that will substantially impact the cleaning industry. This three-part series is designed to arm cleaning industry leaders and professionals with the information you need to stay up to date regarding government requirements for cleaning, personal protective equipment (PPE) usage, and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA’s new Hazard Communication Standard. Save your seat today!

More than 25 States Ending Enhanced Unemployment Benefits: What You Need to Know
Thus far, more than half the states have pledged to end participation in federal unemployment programs before the September cutoff date. State governors opting out of the extra unemployment coverage maintain that the coverage is preventing workers from filling open positions; the White House says the federal government will not intervene.

This Fourth of July Strengthen the Voice of the Cleaning Industry
In the spirit of Independence Day, contribute to the ISSA Advocacy Fund (IAF)! With your critical support of the IAF, we can advocate, influence, and make an impact on behalf of the full spectrum of the cleaning industry in Washington, DC and all 50 states. Benefits start at US$50.

Legislative

Murray, Burr Announce New Oversight as Part of Bipartisan Preparedness Effort
U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and U.S. Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), Ranking Member of the Senate HELP Committee, announced three new areas of bipartisan oversight as part of their ongoing work to develop policy proposals aimed at improving the nation’s public health and medical preparedness and response programs.

Regulatory

Biden Boosts OSHA Virus Enforcement as Vaccines Take Hold
OSHA has issued more than three times as many violations of the general duty clause, a provision of federal law, than it did during the previous presidential administration, according to a Bloomberg Law review of OSHA enforcement data. OSHA also has increased the number of inspections of workplaces where COVID-19 could be a hazard, even if an employer or workers have not reported complaints to the agency.

Apply for OSHA Workplace Safety Training Grants
The OSHA announced the availability of more than $21 million in training grants, CMM reported. According to OSHA, $10 million is available for nonprofits from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. These funds are earmarked for workplace safety training on infectious diseases, including COVID-19. 

OSHA Requests Comment on COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard
On June 21, OSHA published in the Federal Register an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) to protect healthcare workers from contracting COVID-19. OSHA has requested comment on the ETS, which by statute remains in effect for 180 days. Comments are due on or before July 21, 2021.

Vice President and Treasury Secretary Announce $1.25 Billion Aid Program for Small Businesses
Community development financial institutions will get nearly $1.25 billion in federal COVID-19 relief funding to help small businesses, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced, CBS News reported. The money will go to more than 860 of those institutions, many in majority-minority communities, which loan money to low-income and other disadvantaged groups to help promote upward economic mobility.

Federal Grants to Improve Employment for Incarcerated Individuals
Many formerly incarcerated individuals have difficulty finding an employer who will hire them. The U.S. Department of Labor announced late last week it is awarding more than $85.5 million in grants to improve employment outcomes for current and formerly incarcerated individuals, according to CMM.

FDA Warns of Vapors in Alcohol-based Hand Sanitizers
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revealed an increase in reports of nausea, headaches, and dizziness due to vapors from alcohol-based hand sanitizer when people used these products in enclosed spaces or areas with poor air circulation, CMM reported.

State News

Revisions to California’s COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standards – FAQs
On June 17, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board voted to re-adopt the COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standards with significant amendments, part of which included a significant loosening of previous requirements. More information on the revised standards can be found in Cal/OSHA’s Frequently Asked Questions.

Delaware Lawmakers Give Final Approval to $15 Minimum Wage
Delaware’s House of Representatives voted along party lines to give final approval to a bill raising the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025. The bill now goes to Gov. John Carney, who is expected to sign the legislation, AP reported.

Other

Shifts in Attitudes on EPR Could Mean Quicker Policy Change
The U.S. Plastics Pact Road map and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s extended producer responsibility (EPR) endorsements could be signs that EPR is coming into its own—as long as policy can catch up, according to WasteDive.