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WASHINGTON – Federal employees who must certify their immunization status under a new policy instituted by President Joe Biden to encourage injections of COVID-19 will face disciplinary action and potentially criminal prosecution if they lie about the form.
The Biden administration on Friday unveiled the attestation form that employees will need to fill out to confirm whether they have been fully vaccinated against the virus, adding legal weight to the president’s tenure. Federal employees will not follow the honor system, but instead will be required to recognize that making a “deliberate and willful misrepresentation on this form may be punished with a fine or jail time or both.”
The Associated Press obtained a copy of the form which was distributed to agency officials and contact points for the implementation of the COVID security protocol on Friday.
Under Biden policy, those who are not vaccinated or choose not to complete the form will be subject to mandatory mask wear and social distancing requirements and will not be eligible for official travel in most cases. .
The effort is part of the White House push to make it harder for eligible Americans to remain unvaccinated against the coronavirus.
With the exception of those seeking to “obtain a public service or benefit,” visitors to federal office buildings, including the White House, will need to complete the form before visiting, according to federal policy.
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