You may have heard a variety of things regarding the President’s Executive Order mandating Federal Workers receive the COVID-19 vaccine. We will relay relevant information to you as soon and as often as possible.
This past Friday, the Administration issued guidance to agencies outlining Executive Order 14043 concerning the vaccine mandate for federal employees. Click HERE for a link to a Government Executive article describing the guidance. Notably, if you do not have a religious or medical exemption in place by November 8th and remain unvaccinated, you will be deemed in “violation of a lawful order” and agencies will begin the enforcement process, which includes progressive discipline, to include removal. It is our belief that as long as you have an approved exception on religious or medical grounds, no discipline will be issued.
The Safer Federal Workforce Task Force (SFWTF) has released FAQ’s on enforcement, which I have attached to this email. SFWTF also just released additional FAQs on medical and religious exceptions. You can access that link by clicking HERE. Also attached are October 1 memorandums from the Director of OPM on enforcement of the vaccine requirement and hiring guidance. If you are seeking an exception to being fully vaccinated for medical or religious reasons, you must complete the required information HERE by October 18, 2021. You can also submit VA Form 10-230, attached below, to your supervisor.
The National VA Council continues to bargain on behalf of our members on the impact and implementation of this Executive Order. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
Director Memo on Enforcement of Vaccine Requirements
