Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has signed a law to set aside $225 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding to support hospitals and their workers, his office said Jan. 26.
Workforce
Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte and two Republican lawmakers for his state are urging the Biden administration to allow exemptions for rural hospitals to the federal COVID-19 vaccination mandate for healthcare workers.
Healthcare facilities in 25 states face their first deadline Jan. 27 to comply with the Biden administration's COVID-19 vaccination mandate.
As the omicron variant spreads in the U.S., some states are requiring COVID-19 booster shots for workers in healthcare facilities.
Amid the latest COVID-19 surge, hospitals and health systems are holding hiring events and taking other measures to recruit staff.
With hundreds of open positions in the Central Illinois and Quad Cities/Muscatine regions, UnityPoint Health is targeting staff terminated from Galesburg (Ill.) Cottage Hospital, the West Des Moines, Iowa-based health system confirmed to Becker's.
The Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration said it is withdrawing emergency enforcement of its vaccinate-or-test mandate for businesses, although the agency is not withdrawing it as a proposed rule.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan enacted an executive order Jan. 24 to extend flexibilities for pharmacists and nursing students as the state grapples with a COVID-19 surge.
Texas, Arizona, Utah and Idaho have recovered all jobs lost during the pandemic, according to a new report from Fitch Ratings.
Developed nations are using salary incentives to recruit foreign healthcare workers to fight the workforce shortages seen throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, The New York Times reported Jan. 24.