Manufacturers, Retailers wary of Biden private sector vaccine mandate

Two powerful business groups, the National Association of Manufacturers and the National Retail Federation, stopped short of endorsing President Biden’s plan requiring large companies to mandate vaccinations on Thursday.

NAM, in a statement, was adamant in its support of nationwide vaccination efforts, though it indicated concern about the potential implications of Biden’s plan in the workplace. NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons asserted any requirement should be rolled out in a way that would not negatively impact operations.

"We look forward to working with the administration to ensure any vaccine requirements are structured in a way that does not negatively impact the operations of manufacturers that have been leading through the pandemic to keep Americans safe," Timmons said in a statement. "It is important that undue compliance costs do not burden manufacturers, large and small alike."

Biden said the Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) would enforce a rule requiring companies with 100 or more employees to mandate vaccinations or conduct weekly COVID-19 testing. The White House said the rule would apply to approximately 80 million Americans.