As of today, New Mexico employers must notify the environment department within four hours of any employees who have tested positive for COVID-19.
The mandate comes as the result of an emergency rule filed today by the department and will remain in effect for no more than 120 days, unless it's adopted as a permanent rule before then.
A news release from the department states that its Occupational Health and Safety Bureau is frequently notified of positive cases after employers learn of the cases. So far, there have been more than 600 cases in which an employer knew of an employee with COVID-19 before the environment department did, including 280 times in which the employer knew for at least three days prior.
The new rule is intended to allow the state to employ its rapid response program more rapidly.