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September 09, 2021 - President Joe Biden breaks the delay and today signs an executive order requiring all federal employees to be vaccinated against covid-19.
The measure affects approximately 2.1 million federal employees and the millions of contractors who work for the government. According to sources, the vaccine will be mandatory and cannot be replaced by regular tests.
75 days to get vaccinated
"Federal employees will have 75 days to get vaccinated. If they refuse to receive the vaccine they will be subjected to disciplinary proceedings," White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.
There will be some exceptions for religious reasons or for disability. The obligation will affect all executive branch employees, including the White House and all federal agencies, a workforce that exceeds 4 million. Ditto for the "contractors", that is, those who do business with the government.
No obligation instead for those who work for Congress or the federal judicial system.
According to the Washington Post, Biden hopes to create a model that can be taken up by local authorities and businesses to further encourage vaccination
In August, the Pentagon made the vaccine mandatory for all military personnel.