Milwaukee company helps businesses adjust to federal vaccine mandate

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Milwaukee-based company Novir says 10 times as many companies have reached out for help with testing and vaccine protocols since President Joe Biden's mandate announcement.

"There are a lot of folks that we've been talking to for the last six months that are saying, okay, we're going to start this as of Oct. 1," Novir Vice President of Business Development Peter Klug said.

Vault has provided similar services for the Milwaukee Brewers, Bucks and three dozen other Wisconsin companies.

Novir and Vault also manage company data on employee vaccinations.

"Rather than having to worry and build a whole tracking mechanism, as part of our testing program, we track that for the employer," Vault CEO Jason Feldman said. "We make it much simpler."

Both companies ensure employee privacy of records and comply with HIPPA. Novir said they do run into a certain percentage of workers who refuse vaccination.

"For those that don't want to be vaccinated, making sure they have the testing program in place that's required," Klug said. "So, in general, it's weekly testing for those that aren't vaccinated."

An increase in nationwide cases has put a strain on private companies' efforts to test and vaccinate staff.

"Local hospitals and medical centers have had to try to keep up with new cases coming into their front door at the same time as employers are trying to bring people back to work," Feldman said. "So testing is limited within the communities."

OSHA is in charge of enforcing the new mandate. They are still in the process of writing the exact rules.