Biden Mandates Vaccination or Masks for Federal Workers

On Thursday, July 29, 2021, President Biden directed more than 4 million federal workers to get the vaccine or wear a mask on the job and get tested one to two times a week while being subjected to travel restrictions. 

The announcement comes as the Biden administration seeks to inoculate more Americans against COVID-19 as the number of Americans getting the vaccine dwindles.  Under the new directive, every federal employee and onsite contractor must prove that they are fully vaccinated or wear a mask on the job regardless of their location or physical distance from other individuals.

During his announcement, President Biden also called on private sector employers to follow his lead.  “As more people get vaccinated, we are more protected as a nation to continue reopening safely,” President Biden said. Biden’s directive comes on the heels of the Department of Justice’s  guidance that concluded federal law doesn’t bar public or private entities from imposing vaccination requirements.  Just this week California and New York City also issued directives requiring government employees to get the vaccine or be subjected to weekly testing. 

As of Thursday, 164 million Americans are fully vaccinated, including more than 60% of adults.