White House Provides Further Guidance on COVID-19 Vaccination Leave Policy

Agencies are to allow employees up to 4 hours of administrative leave to get a COVID-19 vaccination, and up to 2 days of administrative leave following a dose resulting in an adverse reaction, according to the latest guidance from the White House Safer Federal Workforce Task Force released on August 25.

The new guidance makes clear the allotments agencies must make available to employees to get vaccinated. It further makes clear that agencies should provide additional time in circumstances requiring it, such as if the employee must travel a far distance. Teleworking employees are to receive their manager’s approval prior to being permitted to use administrative leave for vaccination purposes.

The guidance also says agencies must grant administrative leave to employees who accompany a family member (defined in 5 CFR 630.201) who is receiving the vaccination, due to “President Biden’s direction that the Federal Government should work aggressively to maximize the number of people receiving the COVID-19 vaccination.”

Agencies “must” grant employees up to 2 days of administrative leave if the employee has an adverse reaction to any COVID-19 vaccination dose. Should an employee require a longer time period to recover, the guidance says agencies may make a determination to grant emergency paid leave as authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), or other appropriate leave such as sick leave.