Federal contractors have to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Dec. 8, the Biden administration announced in guidance Sept. 24. We've gathered articles on the news from SHRM Online and other media outlets.
COVID-19 Clauses
The Biden administration will add clauses to future government contracts mandating inoculations. President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Sept. 9 requiring federal contractors to mandate vaccinations but many federal contractors have awaited formal guidance from the White House before moving forward.
(Reuters)
Largest Government Contractors
Some of the nation's largest government federal contractors include McKesson Corp., Raytheon Technologies, Oshkosh Corp., General Dynamics Corp., BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Maximus Inc., Boeing, CACI International, Southwest Valley Constructors, Honeywell International, Leidos and TriWest Healthcare Alliance Corp.
(Executive Biz)
Nov. 22 Deadline for Federal Employees
The Biden administration said earlier this month that most federal employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 no later than Nov. 22. On Sept. 9, Biden signed an executive order requiring most federal employees and federal contractors to get the COVID-19 vaccine, removing the option for them to instead undergo regular testing.
(Reuters) and (SHRM Online)
Steps Private-Sector Employers Can Take
The anticipated emergency temporary standard (ETS) for private-sector employers with at least 100 employees—requiring vaccination or testing—has not yet been released, but employers can take certain steps now to prepare. Employers can start by encouraging all employees to get vaccinated to make compliance easier once the rule goes into effect, said Ashley Brightwell, an attorney with Alston & Bird in Atlanta.
(SHRM Online)
Enforcement Hurdles
Nonetheless, the federal mandate for certain employers to require workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly testing may not increase the number of vaccinated people as much as was hoped. The anticipated ETS for private-sector employers is already facing challenges: religious and medical exemptions, legal objections and enforcement hurdles.
(SHRM Online)