Safer Federal Workforce Task Force Issues FAQ on Quarantine and Isolation Procedures
In the wake of a federal court’s injunction on the vaccine mandate for federal employees, the Biden Administration has temporarily halted disciplinary actions for non-compliance. However, the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force (Task Force) continues to provide new guidance for federal employees regarding leave, quarantining, testing, and other COVID-19 related areas not covered by the injunction.
Under the current guidance, employees who are not required to be vaccinated by their agency and who seek any authorized dose of a COVID-19 vaccination during work hours should be granted administrative leave.
Regarding quarantine and isolation, the Task Force defined a close contact as interaction “within 6 feet of someone who has probable or confirmed COVID-19 for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period.”
To ensure consistency in testing protocols, agencies should require testing of individuals with close contacts at least five full days after the close contact unless they were COVID-19 positive within 90 days and have recovered. In the case of a negative test, the employee can return to their job and interact with the public. After coming into close contact with someone who has COVID-19, agencies should refrain from providing travel approval for 10 days, regardless of vaccination status.
In order to facilitate the implementation of safety protocols, agencies should maintain information on whether their employees are up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations. If an agency does not have vaccine tracking procedures in place, including tracking for booster shots, the agency should communicate the quarantine safety protocols to employees and employees should follow the protocol that applies to them.
If an individual has not received the COVID-19 vaccine and does not have a diagnosis with COVID-19 within the last 90 days, they should quarantine at home for at least five full days after their last close contact with someone who has COVID-19 (the exposure date is day 0, and the first full day after exposure is day 1). They should quarantine for 10 full days if they are not able to wear a mask when around others.
If an individual develops any COVID-19 symptoms during quarantine, they should isolate immediately and test, and remain isolated until they receive their test results; if they test positive, the individual should follow CDC isolation recommendations.
In cases where employees cannot quarantine due to significant operational considerations, such as the nature of their work, agencies should consult with their COVID-19 Coordination Team and the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force.