More Details on the Reasonable Accommodation Guidance (10/7/2021)
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More Details on the Reasonable Accommodation Guidance Earlier this week, the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force issued additional guidance to agencies on reasonable accommodations. The guidance provides detail on the legally-required accommodations to the vaccine requirements, as well as conditions which may qualify for a delay in the requirement. Here is some key information from the new guidance. More detailed information on this and other vaccine mandate topics is available on NTEU’s updated FAQs for members. For people who are pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to become pregnant, the Task Force follows CDC guidance recommending COVID-19 vaccination. However, an agency may allow an employee to delay vaccination based on an employee’s particular medical circumstances, consistent with the agency’s process for reviewing a request to delay under these circumstances. Employees planning to retire or otherwise leave the federal government shortly after the Nov. 22 deadline for vaccination must still meet that deadline. However, the Task Force added that if the employee provides notice that they are separating from the service and are on leave until the day they depart, the agency may not have to enforce the mandate deadline. Employees who have had a severe allergic reaction after a previous dose of the COVID-19 vaccine or have a known allergy to a component of the vaccine may apply for a medical-based exemption. The Task Force also lists some medical circumstances that qualify for a delay in vaccination that follows CDC recommendations. Employees whose vaccines are delayed must follow masking, physical distancing and testing protocols for not fully vaccinated individuals, as well as applicable travel guidance. NTEU is awaiting further guidance on the testing protocol. Agencies are being directed to establish a deadline for employees to notify agencies that they will seek an exception, although employees can submit requests after that date. The Task Force issued templates for agencies to use in developing medical and religious-based exception request forms. Now that the Task Force has issued this long-awaited guidance, agencies will be moving forward with forming their own strategies for processing reasonable accommodation requests. NTEU is engaging every agency where we represent employees on these processes to ensure workers are treated fairly and equitably. At the same time, NTEU will seek clarification from the Task Force and agencies on how the reasonable accommodation guidance will be implemented and provide additional information as it is available. |
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