Safer Federal Workforce Task Force Issues New COVID-19 Screening, Travel Guidance
The Safer Federal Workforce Task Force issued updated guidance this week concerning COVID-19 symptom screening and travel for federal employees and contractors.
In the form of frequently asked questions (FAQs), the Task Force clarified that agencies will no longer symptom screen federal employees or contractors working on-site at an agency workplace; rather, the individual can perform symptom screening themselves without agency verification. If agencies require their employees to wear high-quality masks or respirators, they must provide high-quality masks or respirators, with a supply available to onsite contractor employees and visitors.
After testing positive for COVID-19 and being isolated, agencies should not use a test-based approach to decide when a person can resume working at an agency workplace or interacting with the public as part of their official duties, unless the agency head approves an exception in consultation with the agency COVID-19 Coordination team, including the Office of General Counsel, and the Task Force. If an individual's COVID-19 symptoms recur or worsen, agencies must instruct them to avoid entering Federal facilities and interacting with members of the public, consistent with their agencies' protocols.
In the case of an individual exposed to COVID-19 who is not working onsite at an agency workplace or interacting with the public as part of their official responsibilities within 10 days, then the agency should not require them to be tested.
Federal employees no longer have traveling restrictions for official business and the Task Force directs employees to follow their agency’s travel policy. Agencies may approve official travel for asymptomatic individuals exposed to COVID-19. Asymptomatic individuals who travel should wear high-quality masks or respirators and not use public transportation.
Further, as stated in the new guidance, “the Federal Government will take no action to implement or enforce Executive Order 14042. For existing contracts or contract-like that contain a clause implementing requirements of Executive Order 14042, the Government will take no action to enforce the clause implementing requirements of Executive Order 14042, absent further written notice from the agency.”
The updated guidance comes after a recent decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit that narrowed the scope of a preliminary injunction that had prevented the federal contractor vaccination mandate from being enforced nationwide.