Travel Restrictions Lifted for Fully Vaccinated Federal Employees

The Safer Federal Workforce Task Force, led by the White House COVID-19 Response Team, the General Services Administration (GSA), and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), recently announced updates to travel guidelines for federal employees. In accordance with CDC guidelines, the government has lifted all limits on official travel for fully vaccinated federal employees- meaning those who have received their final dose of COVID-19 vaccine at least two weeks previously.

According to the guidance, “There are no government wide limits on official travel for federal employees who are fully vaccinated. Employees should follow their agency’s travel policy. Agencies may have collective bargaining obligations regarding implementation of any changes to official travel policies that have been in place for bargaining unit employees.”

The guidance also states that fully vaccinated federal employees do not need to get tested before leaving the United States unless it is required by the country they are visiting. However, those traveling to the United States from abroad will be required to show a negative SARS-CoV-2 viral test result no more than three days before the flight to the United States departs or must show documentation of recovery from COVID-19 within the previous 90 days before they board a flight to the United States.

The guidance furthers, “Fully vaccinated travelers should also get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel, self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms, if symptoms develop isolate and get tested, and follow all recommendations or requirements of their U.S. destination after travel.”

For non-vaccinated federal employees, official travel will be restricted to mission critical trips such as “military deployments, COVID-19 response deployments/activities, diplomats traveling, high-level international negotiations that cannot occur remotely.”