Federal Contractors, Subs To Be Vaccinated By Dec. 8
Date Posted: September 28, 2021
Posted In: COVID-19 UPDATES, Workforce,
From ConstructionDive: Federal contractors must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Dec. 8, the Biden administration said Friday. The new guidance details how agencies and federal contractors should comply with President Joe Biden’s Sept. 9 executive order.
The protocols will apply to all covered contractor employees, including “contractor or subcontractor employees in covered contractor workplaces who are not working on a federal government contract or contract-like instrument,” the guidance reads.
Associated Builders and Contractors said that although vaccinations are important for the construction workforce, the new regulations will add to already overburdened contractors. “Based on our initial reading, this guidance will result in additional compliance burdens, exacerbate the construction industry’s skilled workforce shortage and increase costs for federal contractors and taxpayers,” said Ben Brubeck, ABC vice president of regulatory, labor and state affairs, in a statement.
Dive Insight:
The guidance from the the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force applies to “subcontractors at all tiers, except for subcontracts solely for the provision of products.” It also applies to all workplace locations as well as individuals on remote work or who work outside.
In addition, companies doing business with the government are required to designate a coordinator to implement the new workplace safety requirements.