LIEB BLOG

Legal Analysts

Showing posts with label Safer Federal Workforce Task Force Guidelines Executive Order 14042 COVID-19 vaccination mandate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Safer Federal Workforce Task Force Guidelines Executive Order 14042 COVID-19 vaccination mandate. Show all posts

Friday, December 10, 2021

COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate for Federal Contractors Stayed by Federal Judge.

The ruling by a Georgia federal judge does not prevent employers or businesses from enforcing vaccine mandates. Rather, the Court issued a nationwide stay of President Biden's Executive Order which required all federal contractors to be fully vaccinated by January 18, 2021.


While the Judge expressed his understanding of the dangers of this public health crisis, he, nevertheless, issued the stay because he believed the Executive Order exceeds the President's authority. The Court further reasoned that the potential harm from enforcing a vaccine mandate on federal contractors (causing many federal contractors to breach their contracts when their employees refuse to get vaccinated) outweighs the harm to public health if the contractors are not vaccinated.


Biden will likely appeal this ruling to end the stay. Do you agree with the Judge's reasoning? Would this Executive Order result in a federal contractor employment crisis? Let us know in the comments below.



We'll be sure to keep you updated as this legal fight continues!


Monday, October 04, 2021

Guidance Published for Federal Contractors and Subcontractors on COVID Vaccinations

As you may recall, all federal contractors now have vaccination requirements because of Executive Order 14042, as discussed in our blog here.


The Order requires that all contracts between federal contractor and subcontractor contain a clause ensuring compliance. However, the specifics of that clause were unknown until September 24, 2021, when the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force (SFWTF) published guidance, which requires:

  • Vaccinations of covered contractor employees, except in limited circumstances where an employee is legally entitled to an accomodation; 
  • Compliance by individuals, including covered contractor employees and visitors, with the  guidance related to masking and physical distancing while in covered contractor workplaces; and 
  • Designation by covered contractors of a person(s) to coordinate COVID-19 workplace safety efforts. 

The SFWTF guidance requirements for federal contractors and subcontractors are similar to the ones imposed upon NYS healthcare workers, which also require full vaccination as a condition of employment. 

Do you think we are going to see the same lawsuits and pushback on this requirement as we did in the healthcare setting?  

Will there be lots of employees quitting their jobs rather than complying? 

Is SFWTF overreaching in its efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 or did they get it right?