Required and Recommended Vaccines

On Sept. 9, 2021 President Biden signed Executive Order 14042, “Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors,” that directs federal agencies to include a clause in various new contracts, options, and extensions, which will, for the duration of the contract, require certain contractors or subcontractors to comply with safety standards issued by the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force.

On Sept. 24, 2021 the task force published its Guidance for Federal Contractors and Subcontractors, which has three main components to its workplace safety protocols:

1. Vaccination of covered contractor employees;
2. Masking and physical distancing requirements while in a covered contractor workplace; and
3. Designation of a person or persons to coordinate COVID-19 workplace safety efforts.

The UT System holds more than 1,900 contracts that may fall under this mandate, with a collective value that exceeded $750 million in federal funding in fiscal year 2021 alone.

It appears as though the University is subject to these new requirements and is required to ensure that all covered employees are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 no later than Jan. 18, 2022, unless the employee is legally entitled to an accommodation due to a medical condition or religious belief.

Read the letter from UT System President Randy Boyd

Learn how to verify once you have received a COVID-19 Vaccine.

Frequently asked questions about the federal vaccine requirement

The State of Tennessee’s online eligibility tool allows users to opt-in to receive updates and notifications about COVID-19 vaccine availability and provides risk-based and age-based phase information at the county level.