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No rain, no ice… no presidential proclamation.
President Biden mandated COVID-19 vaccines for nearly all federal workers on Thursday, but the more than 600,000 letter carriers and administrative staff of the U.S. Postal Service will not need to be vaccinated.
The exemption was first reported by Washington Post postal reporter Jacob Bogage, who reported that a White House official told him that “we strongly encourage them to abide by these standards” from any point of view. way.
Biden also announced a new Labor Department policy on Thursday requiring workers in private companies with 100 or more employees to be vaccinated or undergo weekly tests. The USPS exemption was originally intended to allow postal workers to also evade the mandate of the private sector.
The USPS exemption was originally intended to allow postal workers to also evade the mandate of the private sector. But nearly four hours after the deal was reported, the White House released a clarification saying postal workers will have a choice between getting vaccinated and getting tested once a week, just like workers in large corporations.
“The USPS is not included in the executive order requiring the vaccination of federal employees. The USPS has a separate statutory regime and is traditionally independent from actions of federal personnel like this, ”said an administration official Biden.
He added, “That said, USPS is strongly encouraged to comply. Also, [the Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration] will cover USPS through the [emergency temporary standards], which means that postal workers will be subject to the vaccination or screening policy announced today.
Postal workers serve every community in the United States, often with daily door-to-door deliveries and contact with millions of Americans.
Biden has described his rationale for a set of vaccine mandates in harsh terms.
“We have been patient, but our patience is running out and your refusal has cost us all,” Biden said in a speech. “It’s not about freedom or personal choice. It’s about protecting yourself and those around you.
Biden signed two executive orders on Thursday: one requiring the vaccination of most federal workers with limited medical and religious exemptions and another requiring federal contractors to also vaccinate their workforce.
The Department of Labor’s separate rule for companies with 100 or more employees carries fines of up to $ 14,000 per violation.
According to CDC data, 75.3% of American adults have received at least one injection of the coronavirus vaccine. But vaccination rates vary by state, and the national infection rate is as high as it was in late January, when few Americans were vaccinated.
Data indicates that young people, Republicans, and members of certain minority groups, including African Americans and Hispanics, are less likely to be vaccinated.
Many postal workers are represented by the American Postal Workers Union, affiliated with the AFL-CIO.
Another AFL-CIO union, the American Federation of Government Employees, made an evasive statement about the new mandates – saying “workers deserve a voice in their working conditions.”
“We plan to negotiate this change prior to implementation, and we urge all who are able to get vaccinated as soon as they can,” AFGE said.
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