In the direction for federal contractors updated on November 10, 2021, the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force elucidated that covered contractor workers must be fully vaccinated before January 18, 2022. This requirement is not influenced by the block of the emergency temporary standard.
The guidance states that people will be considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 after two weeks of receiving the second dose in a two-dose series or after two weeks of receiving the single-dose vaccine. In short, federal contractor workers must have taken the second doses of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccinations or the one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine by 4th January 2022.
A few states have sued this law, challenging the vaccination specification for federal contractors.
For the time being, covered federal contractors are working to meet the vaccination specifications; testing in place of vaccinations is not an alternative for them.
Who Are Covered Federal Contractors?
The organization protocols for federal contractors, along with the vaccine provision, apply to all covered contractor workers in workplaces where people work on, or in association with, a government contract or subcontract.
Additionally, the executive order for the vaccine mandate applies to solicitations for contracts, new contracts, renewals or extensions of contracts, and the exercise of an alternative on an existing contract if the agreement is:
- A procurement contract or contract-like instrument for services, construction, or a leasehold interest in real property.
- A procurement contract or contract-like instrument for services, construction, or a leasehold interest in real property.
- A contract or contract-like instrument entered into with the federal government in connection with federal property or lands and related to offering services for federal employees, their departments, or the general public.
- A contract or contract-like instrument for concessions.
A person working on a covered contract from the residence is a covered contractor worker and must adhere to the vaccination requirement for covered contractor workers, even if the worker never works at either a federal workplace or covered contractor workplace during the performance of the contract. Covered contractor employees incorporate both full-time and part-time employees.
Attend the Compliance Prime webinar to learn more about Vaccine Mandates for federal workers, subcontractors, and private employers.
