Updates Made to the COVID-19 Workplace Safety Guidance for Federal Contractors

There are new developments regarding the federal contractor COVID mandate as of Nov. 10, 2021. The most important is that the deadline for compliance has been pushed back from Dec. 8, 2021, to Jan. 18, 2022.

On Oct. 17, 2021, Construction Executive published an article regarding the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force’s Guidance for Federal Contractors and Subcontractors. The article explains and describes the basic compliance requirements for federal contractors and subcontractors.

On Nov. 10, 2021, the task force published “updated” guidance and added new and updated points to its FAQs. The important takeaways include the following.

• The updated guidance states that “Covered contractor employees must be fully vaccinated no later than Jan. 18, 2022.” Contractors and subcontractors are still advised to work in good faith towards compliance at their earliest convenience, with the understanding that the deadline has been pushed back from Dec. 8, 2021, to Jan. 18, 2022, and added lead time may be required to the extent contractors attempt to roll out vaccination initiatives/requirements over the holidays.
• A new FAQ was added providing links to signage federal contractors and subcontractors may use at entrances to “covered contractor workplaces:” one for areas of high or substantial levels of community transmission and one for areas of low or moderate levels of community transmission.
• An updated FAQ, incorporating updated CDC recommendations on when employees may appropriately delay vaccinations, concludes: “During the period in which vaccination is delayed, a covered contractor employee must follow applicable masking and physical distancing protocols for not fully vaccinated individuals. There may be circumstances in which an agency determines that the nature of a covered contractor employee’s job responsibilities at a federal workplace, or the location of their work at a federal workplace, requires heightened safety protocols. In some cases, an agency may determine that the nature of a covered contractor employee’s responsibilities at a federal workplace are such that no safety protocol other than vaccination is adequate—in that case, covered contractor employees who are not fully vaccinated would be unable to perform the requisite work at the federal workplace. Such circumstances do not relieve the contractor from meeting all contractual requirements.”
• Finally, the task force updated its FAQ regarding workplace safety requirements a federal or contractor facilities. The task force clarified that its guidance applies to all covered contractor employees and to all contractor or subcontractor workplace locations and noted that contractors may be required to comply with additional workplace safety requirements imposed by individual federal agencies at specific federal buildings and installations.

The remainder of the guidance and FAQs appears to be unchanged from the Nov. 1, 2021, updates. Contractors and subcontractors are advised to check the task force’s website at least twice a week for “what’s new”—particularly since there have been seven updates in less than two months since the guidance was first issued on Sept. 24, 2021.

There are several federal lawsuits across the country seeking to invalidate the guidance. These lawsuits are different from the federal cases challenging the OSHA ETS which, as of this moment, has been stayed by a federal appellate court. The guidance has not been stayed or enjoined at this time and contractors/subcontractors should continue to comply with the guidance and all FAQs.

The guidance and the future FAR clauses are rapidly evolving.