NTEU knows that many of our members will have their own viewpoints on the requirement to be vaccinated. However, it is settled law that the government, as an employer, has a legal right to take this step and all challenges to their ability to take this step have all (historically) been rejected by the courts.
Based on this, the current guidance is:
– If you have not yet received the full course of vaccinations, also known as the CDC definition of “fully vaccinated” (keeping in mind CDC guidance regarding the timeframe between shots for Pfizer & Moderna, J&J is only one shot), you must do so by November 22
– Employees can receive up to four (4) hours of administrative leave per shot to get vaccinated, plus additional time for recovery, if necessary
– Some employees have medical conditions or sincerely held religious beliefs that may prevent them from being vaccinated. In this case, you will follow reasonable accommodation procedures. Approved reasonable accommodations will be the only exceptions permitted
– All IRS Employees, which includes Employees 100% teleworking, are subject to this vaccine mandate
– CDC guidance for wearing masks will continue to be followed
– Guidance regarding how the mandate will be enforced (e.g., through discipline) has not been received yet.
NTEU Chapter 66 