Colossal Undertaking Ahead with New Covid Requirements

Retailers Remain Committed Partners in Covid Fight

By [ Brian Dodge ]
Washington, DC
09/09/2021

The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) President Brian Dodge issued the following statement in response to the Biden administration's new pandemic response plan, which requires employers with more than 100 employees to implement a vaccine requirement or a weekly testing requirement.

“Retailers, like the rest of the country, are eager to move past Covid-19. Throughout the pandemic, retailers have led on masks, safety protocols in stores, and vaccinations. Incentives, paid time off, and other perks have been implemented to encourage retail employees to get vaccinated.

“While we await more details about the requirements, it is essential that the Administration understand that requiring large employers to mandate vaccination of all employees or produce a negative test is a colossal undertaking. Coordination with industry and all levels of government is essential to avoid a chaotic and counterproductive situation. Further, testing capacity is already stressed and must be scaled immensely to meet the enormous demand that will result from these new requirements.

“Leading retailers remain committed partners in the fight against Covid. We urge the Administration to keep the goal of these new requirements, beating the virus through vaccinations, at the forefront of the rulemaking process. Demonstrated good faith by employers to comply with the new rules should be appreciated and not punished.”

###

RILA is the US trade association for leading retailers. We convene decision-makers, advocate for the industry, and promote operational excellence and innovation. Our aim is to elevate a dynamic industry by transforming the environment in which retailers operate.

RILA members include more than 200 retailers, product manufacturers, and service suppliers, which together account for more than $1.5 trillion in annual sales, millions of American jobs, and more than 100,000 stores, manufacturing facilities, and distribution centers domestically and abroad.