White House signals flexibility over Dec. 8 vaccine deadline
WASHINGTON, Oct 27 (Reuters) - The Biden administration's COVID-19 vaccination deadline will not require immediate action on the part of employers against unvaccinated employees when it comes into force on Dec. 8, the White House coronavirus response coordinator said on Wednesday.
Some lawyers previously interpreted President Joe Biden's Sept. 9 executive order and subsequent White House guidance requiring all covered federal contractor employees to be vaccinated by Dec. 8 unless they got a religious or medical exemption.
The White House comments suggest federal contractors employing millions of U.S. workers have significant flexibility in enforcing COVID-19 rules and will not be required to immediate lay-off workers, but will have time for education, counseling and other measures before potentially ending employment.
Jeff Zients said he expects federal agencies and contractors "will follow their standard HR processes and that for any of the probably relatively small percent of employees that are not in compliance they'll go through education, counseling, accommodations and then enforcement."
Zients said he does not expect any disruptions to the U.S. economy as a result of the mandate.
"We’re creating flexibility within the system … There is not a cliff here," Zients said, emphasizing the goal is to get people vaccinated "not to punish them so we do not expect any disruptions."
He added: "These processes play out across weeks not days."
His comments were more explicit than those last week.
Zients also said a new emergency measure will soon be finalized to ensure private sector workers at companies with 100 or more employees are fully vaccinated or tested for COVID-19 at least weekly.
American Airlines (AAL.O) and Southwest Airlines (LUV.N) said last Thursday they did not think the Dec. 8 deadline would impact holiday travel or result in employees leaving.
Some airlines and industry-watchers initially feared an exodus of unvaccinated airline or government employees involved in travel just before the Christmas season.
Southwest Airlines Chief Executive Gary Kelly said last week: "We want our employees to know that nobody is going to lose their job on December 9 if we're not perfectly in compliance... "We're not going to fire anybody who doesn't get vaccinated."
American Airlines Chief Executive Doug Parker said last week he did not expect any employees to leave as a result of the vaccine mandate.
A group representing FedEx Corp (FDX.N), United Parcel Service Inc (UPS.N) and other cargo carriers told the White House last week it would be virtually impossible to have 100% of their respective work forces vaccinated by Dec. 8.
Many federal contractors have told employees that they risk losing their jobs if they are not vaccinated by Dec. 8. Raytheon Technologies' (RTX.N) Chief Executive Greg Hayes warned in a CNBC interview Tuesday the U.S. aerospace and defense firm will lose 'several thousand' employees who refuse to take COVID-19 vaccines, as it prepares to meet the Dec. 8 deadline.
Republican Senator Roger Wicker on Wednesday urged Biden to abandon the plan, saying "we cannot afford to gut our transportation network of tens and perhaps hundreds of thousands of essential, good-paying jobs."
1 comment:
Dr Vernon Coleman GP MB ChB DSc
Doctor - GMC
https://www.gmc-uk.org/doctors/6121681
Advice for those who have been Jabbed
https://www.vernoncoleman.com/adviceforthose.htm
For over six months now I have been warning that those who accept the covid-19 jab will have damaged immune systems and will be susceptible to infection.
This remains my honest opinion, based on the evidence I have seen and upon my fears.
I will write more about the immune system problem as evidence becomes available (more evidence is becoming available daily).
But I recognise that millions of people have succumbed to the psychological warfare practised by governments, advisors and media doctors, and have allowed themselves to be jabbed with an experimental product.
Many of those who have been jabbed are, not unnaturally, now asking what they can do to protect themselves from infections.
I do not recommend any patented products but here is my advice:
1) Avoid crowded places
2) Avoid meeting with individuals who have any sort of infection
3) Avoid strenuous exercise (because of the potential for heart problems. Heart problems are now an increasingly common side effect of the covid jab)
4) Keep warm. In my view, leaving windows open (which is one of the covid rules that the Government recommends) is not a good idea in cold weather
5) Eat fresh fruit and vegetables for the vitamins
6) Take a vitamin C supplement
7) Take a vitamin D supplement – but only in the recommended doses
8) Have zinc tablets available to take if you do develop signs of an infection
9) Remember that masks won’t help and can actually make you more sick by increasing your risk of bacterial pneumonia (see my free PDF book on masks available on this website)
10) Social distancing is of little value since a cough or a sneeze can travel over 20 feet
11) Stay away from anyone who has recently had the nasal flu vaccine. The nasal flu vaccine is an attenuated live vaccine which means that it is live but weakened and may regain its strength
12) Stay away from the colds and flu section remedies in supermarkets or pharmacies: that’s usually where the sick people are
Copyright Vernon Coleman October 2021
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