On November 10, 2021, the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force issued updated COVID-19 Workplace Safety Guidance and FAQs for Federal Contractors and Subcontractors.

Per the updated COVID-19 Workplace Safety Guidance, covered contractor employees must now be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 by January 18, 2022.

For more information on which contractors and contractor employees are subject to the vaccination mandate, and the other requirements of the Task Force Guidance, please check out our previous post, “Safer Federal Workforce Task Force Issues Vaccination Guidance for Federal Contractors on President Biden’s COVID-19 Executive Order.”

In addition to extending the deadline for contractor employees to be vaccinated, the Task Force also updated its FAQs:

  • The Task Force provides sample signage regarding required masking and physical distancing for covered contractors to post at covered contractor workplaces located in areas of substantial or high levels of community transmission and areas of low or moderate levels of community transmission.
  • The Task Force acknowledges that CDC guidance recommends delaying receipt of the COVID-19 vaccine based on certain clinical considerations, like when an individual has or is recovering from COVID-19 or certain other medical conditions. The Task Force FAQ now provides that in circumstances where because of the delay, covered contractor employee will not be vaccinated by January 18, 2022, or at the time the employee is set to begin work on a project, the covered contractor should require the employee to become fully vaccinated promptly after the clinical considerations no longer recommend delay.

During the period of the delay, covered contractor employee must follow masking and physical distancing protocols for individuals who are not fully vaccinated. However, the Task Force States that there might be circumstances where an agency determines that either the nature of the employee’s job requires heightened safety protocols or no safety protocol other than vaccination is adequate.

  • The Task Force also clarifies that the deadline for covered contractor employees who only work at a Federal workplace to be fully vaccinated is January 18, 2022 as well.

For more information, contact Nicole at 301-657-0744 or [email protected].