US unveils guidance for federal vaccine mandate and exemptions

WASHINGTON – With only a few weeks left before federal workers are due to be vaccinated against COVID-19, the federal government on Monday outlined procedures for employees to seek medical or religious exemptions from President Joe Biden’s tenure.

The Office of Management and Budget released the new guidelines Monday afternoon ahead of the Nov. 22 deadline for workers to be fully immunized, outlining the specific medical conditions that would warrant an exemption. Under the guidelines, agencies must order workers to receive their first injection within two weeks of denying an exemption request or resolving a health problem. They also clarify that federal agencies can deny medical or religious exemptions if they determine that no other security protocol is adequate.

The Biden administration relies on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to determine approved medical exemptions, including a history of allergic reaction to vaccines. Other conditions, including being treated with monoclonal antibodies or having a history of multisystem inflammatory syndrome, warrant a 90-day immunization delay, according to CDC advice.

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While the CDC recommends that women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant get vaccinated against COVID-19, the federal government will consider requests to delay vaccination during pregnancy based on the worker’s specific medical circumstances.

Senior administration officials provided The Associated Press with an overview of the new guidelines on Monday ahead of their release by the OMB.

Federal workers seeking exemptions will engage in what officials have called an “interactive process” with their agencies, which will include requesting documents to support the exemption and potential accommodations. If an exemption request is denied, workers will have two weeks to get a first shot, or be subject to disciplinary proceedings under Biden’s order.

Unvaccinated workers are required to wear masks and maintain social distancing and their ability to travel for work will be reduced. New testing guidelines for those on exemptions are expected to be unveiled in the coming weeks.

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In some cases, agencies may refuse even legitimate exemption requests if they determine “that no safety protocol other than vaccination is adequate” given the nature of the employee’s job.

According to CDC guidelines, people are not considered fully vaccinated until two weeks after their second dose of two-shot mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna or one-dose injection from Johnson & Johnson – which means most Federal employees have until Nov. 8 at the latest to roll up their sleeves to comply with Biden’s order.

According to the new federal guidelines, neither a previous infection with COVID-19 nor an antibody test can replace vaccination.

Meanwhile, private companies with more than 100 employees will be subject to an upcoming Occupational Safety and Health Administration rule requiring all employees to be vaccinated or tested weekly. Biden announced the settlement weeks ago, but the agency is still drafting the details.