RALEIGH — North Carolina Commissioner of Labor Josh Dobson rejected two petitions aimed at reinstating mask mandates and distancing requirements for businesses.
Dobson made the decision after reviewing the petitions, public comments and considering his agency’s rulemaking authority.
“After thoughtful consideration of the petitions … (I) have made the decision not to adopt either of the proposed rules,” Dobson said.
Luke Farley, the Republican nominee for labor commissioner, supported Dobson’s decision, stating the rules were “burdensome” for workers and businesses.
One of the petitions involved masking requirements for “general industry/construction workers” and the other for “migrant housing.”
The petitions were filed by workers’ rights groups to prevent the spread of airborne infectious diseases during public health emergencies. The groups involved included the NC NAACP, the Episcopal Farmworker Ministry, NC State AFL-CIO, the Union of Southern Service Workers, the Western North Carolina Workers’ Center and the Hispanic Liaison of Chatham County/El Vinculo Hispano.
Public hearings on the matter were held in January. More than 665 emailed comments were received, with the majority condemning government overreach; 47 of the 53 who gave public comments during the hearings opposed the petition.
