The American Staffing Association today released this statement to the news media from Edward A. Lenz, Esq., senior legal counsel:
Temporary employees of staffing agencies have been on the front lines of the Covid-19 pandemic since its first days helping to ensure the flow of essential goods and services, including vital health care services to hospitals and long-term care facilities. A top priority of the American Staffing Association has been their health and safety while providing those services.
No other group of essential employees has faced greater risk during the pandemic than those providing health care services in the nation’s hospitals and long-term care facilities—which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognized by granting them top priority for getting the new Covid-19 vaccinations.
Unfortunately, some health care facilities are overlooking health care staffing agency employees by not offering them vaccines along with the facilities’ permanent employees.
In so doing, the facilities are not observing the CDC infection control guidelines that explicitly include “contractual staff not employed by the healthcare facility.” The guidelines were issued pre-Covid-19, but the policy behind them clearly covers temporary employees.
As part of a comprehensive and ongoing Covid-19 education program, ASA alerted health care staffing agencies about the importance of educating clients regarding application of the CDC guidelines to agency employees.
Edward A. Lenz, Esq.
Senior Counsel
American Staffing Association
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About the American Staffing Association
The American Staffing Association is the voice of the U.S. staffing, recruiting, and workforce solutions industry. ASA and its state affiliates advance the interests of the industry across all sectors through advocacy, research, education, and the promotion of high standards of legal, ethical, and professional practices. For more information about ASA, visit americanstaffing.net.
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