U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission

COVID-19 WORKPLACE SAFETY PLAN

February 1, 2023 
Table of Contents

I. Authorities.............................................................................................................................. 1

II. COVID-19 Vaccinations........................................................................................................ 2

A. Employees........................................................................................................................ 3

B. Administrative Leave for Vaccinations........................................................................... 5

C. Contractors....................................................................................................................... 6

D. Visitors............................................................................................................................. 7

E. Safeguarding Vaccination Information............................................................................ 7

III. Reasonable Accommodation Requests for Employees.......................................................... 8

IV. Symptom and Exposure Monitoring...................................................................................... 9

V. Exposure Notification & Diagnostic Testing....................................................................... 11

A. Exposure Notification .................................................................................................... 12

B. Diagnostic Testing ......................................................................................................... 13

VI. Workplace Safety and Health Protocols.............................................................................. 13

VII. Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) & Cleaning Supplies.................................... 14

A. Best Practices for Facemasks......................................................................................... 14

B. Handwashing.................................................................................................................. 15

VIII. Building Management Initiatives......................................................................................... 15

A. National Office............................................................................................................... 15

B. Denver and Atlanta Regional Offices............................................................................ 16

IX. Travel ................................................................................................................................... 16

A. Temporary Duty Travel ................................................................................................. 16

B. Commuting .................................................................................................................... 17

X. Telework .............................................................................................................................. 17

XI. COVID-19 Coordination Team ........................................................................................... 17

Appendix A:.................................................................................................................................. 18
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______________________________________________________________________________ 

U.S. OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION

COVID-19 Workplace Safety Plan 

______________________________________________________________________________ 

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC or Review 

Commission) established a policy on May 22, 2020, to protect the safety, health, and well-being 

of its employees and contractors as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This 

workplace safety plan has now been revised to incorporate updated guidance from the Centers 

for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the 

Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the General Services Administration (GSA), and the 

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). 

This plan was previously updated on the following dates: 

• February 16, 2021 – To reflect information and guidance about social or physical

distancing, handwashing, face coverings, cleaning, disinfecting, and several other ways to

maintain a safe and healthy work environment in all federal workplaces.

• January 5, 2022 – To address agency reentry operations and to incorporate updated

guidance from the CDC, OMB, OPM, GSA, OSHA, as well as executive orders issued by

the President.

• May 24, 2022 – To address agency operations and to incorporate updated guidance from

the CDC, OMB, OPM, GSA.

All employees and contractors are required to comply with this plan. It also applies to all visitors 

to agency offices, including building maintenance personnel and those seeking agency services. 

I. Authorities

• Update on Executive Order 14042 (Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for

Federal Contractors)

• GSA - Safer Federal Workforce Task Force Initial Implementation Guidance for Federal

Agencies on COVID-19 Community Levels and Mask-Wearing

• CDC Updates and Shortens Recommended Isolation and Quarantine Period for General

Population

• CDC - Travel Guidance

• Executive Order 14043 - Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal

Employees

• Executive Order 14042 - Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal

Contractors

• Federal Acquisition Regulation Council Guidance

• President Biden's Path Out of the Pandemic: COVID-19 Action Plan
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• Guidance for Federal Contractors and Subcontractors (saferfederalworkforce.gov)

• OPM Guidance on Applying Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination Requirements to

New Hires – Executive Order 14043

• OPM Guidance on Enforcing Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination Requirement for

Federal Employees – Executive Order 14043

• GSA - Safer Federal Workforce Task Force – COVID-19 Workplace Safety: Agency

Model Safety Principles

• GSA - Safer Federal Workforce Task Force – Frequently Asked Questions

• CDC - Legal Authorities for Isolation and Quarantine

• OMB, OPM, and GSA M-21-25 – Integrating Planning for A Safe Increased Return of

Federal Employees and Contractors to Physical Workplaces with Post-Reentry Personnel

Policies and Work Environment

• CDC - Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People

• OSHA - Protecting Workers: Guidance on Mitigating and Preventing the Spread of

COVID-19 in the Workplace

• OMB M-21-15 - COVID-19 Safe Federal Workplace: Agency Model Safety Principles

• Executive Order No. 13991 - Protecting the Federal Workforce and Requiring MaskWearing

• Executive Order 13998 - Promoting COVID-19 Safety in Domestic and International

Travel

• OPM - Frequently Asked Questions

• CDC - Guidance for Businesses and Employers Responding to Coronavirus Disease 2019

(COVID-19)

• EEOC – About COVID-19 and ADA, Rehab Act & Other EEO Laws

What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and

Other EEO Laws | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (eeoc.gov)

• OSHA Guidance 3390-03 2020 – Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19

• Basic Program Elements for Federal Employee Occupational Safety and Health Programs, 

29 CFR § 1960

• OPM Leave Regulations - 5 CFR § 630.201, 5 CFR § 630.401, and 5 CFR § 752

• OSHRC 6 – Hours of Duty, Alternative Work Schedules, Absence & Leave

• OSHRC 8 – Telework

• OSHRC 21 – Travel and Transportation

• OSHRC 32 – Reasonable Accommodation Policy and Procedures

II. COVID-19 Vaccinations

The CDC recommends getting a COVID-19 vaccine to significantly reduce your chance of 

contracting and spreading the virus that causes COVID-19, and from becoming seriously ill if 

you do get COVID-19. Getting vaccinated can also protect people around you, particularly 

people at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19. You are considered fully vaccinated

for COVID-19 two weeks after you have received the second dose in a 2-dose series (Pfizer/-

BioNTech/Comirnaty, Moderna, or AstraZeneca/Oxford), or two weeks after you have received 

a single-dose vaccine (Johnson and Johnson (J&J)/Janssen). Your COVID-19 vaccination is 
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considered up to date if you have received all recommended doses in the primary series and the 

most recent booster dose recommended by the CDC.

A. Employees

NOTE: On January 21, 2022, a federal district court granted a preliminary injunction, 

enjoining federal agencies from implementing or enforcing Executive Order (EO) 14043 on 

Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. The U.S. Court of 

Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued an opinion on April 8, 2022, stating that the district court 

erred in issuing a preliminary injunction and was required to dismiss the case. However, 

there are still procedural steps that need to take place to lift the district court’s injunction. In 

the interim, the Review Commission will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID19 vaccination requirement pursuant to EO 14043. 

During this interim period, however, employees will be asked to provide documentation of 

their vaccination status, including whether their vaccination is up to date, for the sole purpose 

of determining appropriate safety protocols (e.g., testing, quarantine). Safety protocols 

related to quarantine are contingent in part on whether you are up to date with your COVID19 vaccine, including recommended additional primary series doses and booster shots. To 

facilitate implementation of safety protocols, the Review Commission will maintain 

documentation about whether employees are up to date with COVID-19 vaccines pursuant to 

the safeguards set forth below in Section II.E. 

Employees must wear a facemask that meets CDC Guidelines when the COVID-19 

community level is high regardless of their vaccination status. Employees who are not up to 

date with their COVID-19 vaccine (including those who have been granted an exception 

from the vaccine mandate because of an approved accommodation) must practice social 

distancing whenever present in Review Commission workspaces regardless of the COVID19 community levels.

In addition, when community levels are medium or high in counties/territory where the 

National and Regional offices reside (e.g., District of Columbia, Denver, and Fulton), any 

employee who is not fully vaccinated must be tested for COVID-19 prior to entering the 

workplace. These screening tests are intended to identify asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic 

infected individuals without known or suspected exposure to SARS-CoV-2. Testing is 

mandatory for these employees and must be performed two times per week (e.g., Monday 

and Thursday). Employees are required to coordinate an agreed upon testing schedule with 

their supervisor. 

Only results from a viral test, such as a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), or an antigen test, 

that has been authorized by the Food and Drug Administration to detect current infection, 

will be accepted. The test can be performed at any facility (e.g., Walgreens, CVS Pharmacy, 

their local health department) that provides a report of test results, a copy of which must be 

provided to your supervisor or their designee for each test. All testing documentation will be 

filed and maintained in the employee medical files (EMFs) pursuant to the government-wide 

system of records (OPM/GOVT-10) for EMFs, which is governed by OPM regulations (5 
4 

CFR, Part 293, Subpart E). Access to these records is limited to the Executive Director

and/or the Human Resources Specialist. Employee confidentiality will be maintained at all 

times.

The Review Commission will reimburse these employees for the costs associated with any 

screening testing. In addition, the agency will pay for the cost of testing if the employee is 

required to visit another federal agency for official government business. The time an

employee spends obtaining the COVID-19 test (including travel time) is considered duty 

time. In most circumstances, the Review Commission will authorize employees to take no

more than one hour to travel to the testing site, complete testing, and return to the worksite. 

The reimbursement process for testing costs, including reasonable travel costs, is consistent 

with agency policy for local travel or temporary duty travel reimbursement. Please see 

OSHRC 21 - Travel and Transportation for additional information. 

An employee’s refusal to participate in the agency’s testing program may result in 

disciplinary action. In addition to pursuing any disciplinary action, the Review Commission 

may separately elect to bar the employee from the agency workplace for the health and safety 

of others pending resolution of any disciplinary or other action. If the Review Commission 

bars the employee from the workplace, and the nature of the employee’s duties cannot be 

performed via telework, the employee will be granted administrative leave until the question 

of disciplinary action is resolved. 

As mentioned above, the Review Commission will take no action to implement or enforce 

the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to EO 14043, as outlined below, until 

further notice that the injunction has been lifted. 

_________________________________________________________________________ 

In accordance with Executive Order 14043, all Review Commission employees must be fully 

vaccinated against COVID-19, except in limited circumstances in which an employee is 

legally entitled to an exception and a reasonable accommodation must be provided. 

Employees who telework full-time or work remotely are not exempt from this vaccine

mandate. Any employee who is not fully vaccinated or declines to provide proof of 

vaccination and has neither received an exception nor has an exception request under 

consideration, is in violation of a lawful order. An employee who violates a lawful order is

subject to discipline, up to and including removal. See 5 CFR § 752 for additional 

information. 

Employees, including any new hires, must submit documentation to verify that they are fully 

vaccinated using the form located on the agency’s internal server and must certify under 

penalty of perjury that the information they are submitting is true and correct. Employees 

must provide one of the following: a copy of the record of immunization from a health care 

provider or pharmacy; a copy of the COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card; a copy of medical 

records documenting the vaccination; a copy of immunization records from a public health or 

state immunization information system; or a copy of any other official documentation 

containing the required data points. The data points that must be on any official 

documentation are the type of vaccine administered, date(s) of administration, and the name 
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of the health care professional(s) or clinic site(s) administering the vaccine(s). Employees 

may provide a digital copy of such records, including, for example, a digital photograph, 

scanned image, or PDF of such a record that clearly and legibly displays the information 

outlined above. An antibody test cannot be used to prove vaccination status. 

B. Administrative Leave for Vaccinations

Any employee who is not fully vaccinated or whose vaccination is not up to date will be 

permitted to use up to four hours of administrative leave to receive any vaccine dose or

booster. Administrative leave will be granted to travel to the vaccination site, complete any 

vaccination dose, and return to work—for example, up to eight hours of duty time for an 

employee receiving two doses. Employees must obtain advance approval from their 

supervisors before using administrative leave to obtain a COVID-19 vaccine dose or booster 

shot. Only the needed amount of duty time will be granted. An employee who needs longer 

than four hours to receive the vaccine must document the reasons for the additional time. In 

addition, the Review Commission will reimburse employees for reasonable transportation 

costs that are incurred due to obtaining the vaccine. The reimbursement process is consistent 

with agency policy for local travel or temporary duty travel reimbursement. Please see 

OSHRC 21 - Travel and Transportation for additional information. Employees will not be 

credited with administrative leave or overtime work for time spent getting a vaccine, booster 

shot, or additional dose outside their tour of duty. 

In the case of booster shots, administrative leave may be granted retroactively to the time 

when authorized booster shots became available (i.e., no earlier than September 22, 2021, 

when the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) amended the emergency use authorization 

for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to allow for the use of a single booster dose). In 

the case of additional doses, administrative leave may be granted retroactively to the time 

when authorized additional doses became available (i.e., no earlier than August 12, 2021, 

when the FDA amended the emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech and 

Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to allow for the use of an additional dose in certain 

immunocompromised individuals). Information on booster shots is located on the CDC web

page on COVID-19 vaccine booster shots. Information on additional doses is located on 

the CDC web page on immunocompromised patients & COVID-19 vaccine.

Administrative leave of up to two workdays will be granted if an employee has an adverse 

reaction to any COVID-19 vaccination dose (including booster shots) that prevents the 

employee from working (i.e., no more than two workdays for reactions associated with a

single dose). An employee who needs additional time to recover may request sick leave to

cover any additional absence. 

Administrative leave will be granted to an employee who accompanies a family member 

receiving a COVID-19 vaccine or booster. For this purpose, a “family member” is an 

individual who meets the definition of that term in OPM’s leave regulations (see 5 CFR 

630.201). Specifically, employees will be granted up to four hours of administrative leave per 

dose—for a potential maximum total of eight hours of leave for a family member receiving 

two doses, and an additional maximum of four hours of leave for each booster. This applies 
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to covered vaccinations received after July 29, 2021. Employees must obtain advance 

approval from their supervisor before being permitted to use administrative leave for 

COVID-19 vaccination purposes. Employees will not be credited with administrative leave 

or overtime work for time spent outside their tour of duty accompanying a family member 

getting a vaccination or booster.

C. Contractors

NOTE: On December 9, 2021, OMB issued guidance on implementing requirements of EO 

14042 while ensuring compliance with applicable court orders and injunctions, including 

those that are preliminary and may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the 

course of ongoing litigation. Based on OMB guidance, the Review Commission will 

continue to take no action to enforce contractual provisions implementing requirements 

of EO 14042, which are outlined below.

At this time, however, only when the COVID-19 community level is medium or high in 

counties/territory where the National and Regional offices reside (e.g., District of Columbia, 

Denver, and Fulton), contractors will be asked about their vaccination status solely for the 

purpose of determining appropriate safety protocols. Contractors must complete a 

Certification of Vaccination form and keep the form with them during their time in Review 

Commission workspaces. Upon entry to a Review Commission workplace, contractors must 

show the Certification of Vaccination form to any agency employee who oversees their work.

In addition, if a contractor attests to not being fully vaccinated or they decline to provide 

information about their vaccination status, they must show proof of a negative COVID-19 

test from within the previous three days prior to entering the workplace. These screening 

tests are intended to identify asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic infected individuals without 

known or suspected exposure to SARS-CoV-2. Only results from a viral test, such as a PCR, 

or an antigen test, that has been authorized by the Food and Drug Administration to detect 

current infection, will be accepted. The test can be performed at any facility (e.g., Walgreens, 

CVS Pharmacy, their local health department) that provides a report of test results. 

Contractor employee testing records cannot be collected or maintained by the agency.

Contractors must wear a facemask that meets CDC Guidelines when the COVID-19 

community level is high regardless of their vaccination status. Contractors who are not up to 

date with their COVID-19 vaccine (including those who have been granted an exception 

from the vaccine mandate by their contractor employer because of an approved 

accommodation) must practice social distancing whenever present in Review Commission 

workspaces regardless of the COVID-19 community levels.

Contractors are responsible for all costs associated with testing. Contractors who refuse to be 

tested or who fail to present proof of a negative COVID-19 test from within the previous 

three days will be denied entry to the workplace and may be in violation of their contract 

terms and conditions.
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As mentioned above, the Review Commission will take no action to implement or enforce 

the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to EO 14042, as outlined below, until 

further notice.

_________________________________________________________________________

In accordance with Executive Order 14042, all Review Commission contractors must be 

fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in accordance with their contractual requirement, except 

in limited circumstances in which their contractor employer has determined that an exception 

is legally required and a reasonable accommodation must be provided.

Contractors not yet subject to a contractual requirement to be vaccinated must complete a 

Certification of Vaccination form and keep the form with them during their time in Review 

Commission workspaces. Upon entry to a Review Commission workplace, contractors must 

show the Certification of Vaccination form to any agency employee who oversees their work. 

If a contractor attests to not being fully vaccinated, they must also show proof of a negative 

COVID-19 test from within the previous three days as explained above.

D. Visitors

A visitor includes anyone who is not a Review Commission employee or a contractor (e.g., 

former employees, federal employees from other agencies, etc.). Only when the COVID-19 

community level is medium or high in counties/territory where the National and Regional 

offices reside (e.g., District of Columbia, Denver, and Fulton) will visitors be asked to 

provide information about their vaccination status. A Certification of Vaccination form

will either be provided to individuals when entering an agency facility or emailed in advance 

of their arrival. Visitors must present the completed form upon entry and keep the completed 

form with them during their time in the agency’s workplace. Visitors are prohibited from 

emailing the form to agency personnel as the Review Commission cannot collect or 

maintain these forms.

Pursuant to Executive Order 13991 and CDC guidance, the agency will not require that 

visitors, solely because of their vaccination status, provide proof of a negative COVID-19 

test when accessing a Review Commission facility. This is true regardless of the COVID-19 

community level in the facility’s county/territory.

E. Safeguarding Vaccination Information

To safeguard vaccine information collected from employees, or presented by contractors and 

visitors, the Review Commission will:

• Comply with any applicable Federal laws, including requirements under the Privacy 

Act and the Paperwork Reduction Act;

• Take steps to promote privacy and information technology security, while also 

providing the relevant information to those who need to know in order to implement 

the safety protocols;
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• Consult with the Agency Records Officer, Chief Information Officer, and Senior

Agency Official for Privacy to determine the best means to maintain employee

vaccination information to meet the agency’s needs; and

• Only disseminate vaccination information to the appropriate agency officials who

have a need to know to ensure effective implementation of the safety protocols.

III. Reasonable Accommodation Requests for Employees

NOTE: As noted above, the Review Commission will take no action to implement or 

enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 until 

further notice that the district court’s injunction has been lifted. Accordingly, it is currently 

unnecessary to submit, pursuant to the process outlined below, a reasonable accommodation 

request seeking a legal exception from the vaccination requirement.

However, reasonable accommodations related to an inability to use or wear required personal

protective equipment (PPE) in the workplace is not subject to the injunction. If you are 

unable to use or wear required PPE in the workplace due to a disability, please notify your 

supervisor to request a reasonable accommodation. For more information on how to request 

an accommodation, please see OSHRC 32 - Reasonable Accommodation Policy and

Procedures. 

Any employee seeking an exception from the vaccine mandate because of a disability or a 

sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance must request a reasonable 

accommodation using the appropriate form located on the agency’s internal server. Any new 

hire who intends to seek an exception from the vaccine mandate because of a disability or a 

sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance must notify the agency of their intent 

to do so at the time they accept the agency’s offer of employment. The new hire must 

complete the appropriate form and submit their request within their first week of 

employment with the Review Commission. 

All requests will be reviewed by the agency pursuant to the process set forth in OSHRC 32, 

Reasonable Accommodation Policy and Procedures. While the request is being considered, 

the employee may be directed to telework. If the employee’s duties cannot be performed via 

telework, the employee will be granted administrative leave. For more information on how 

to request an accommodation, please see OSHRC 32 - Reasonable Accommodation Policy

and Procedures.

If an employee’s request for a reasonable accommodation is denied, following the process for 

consideration and appeal, the employee must receive their first (or, if a one-dose series, only) 

dose within two weeks of the final determination to deny the accommodation. If receiving a 

two-dose series, the employee must receive the second dose within six weeks of receiving the 

first dose. If the employee received a first dose of a two-dose series prior to seeking an 

accommodation, the employee must receive their second dose within two weeks of the final 

determination or within a week of the earliest day by which the employee can receive their 

second dose, whichever is later. 
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An employee who has been granted an exception from the vaccine mandate because of an 

approved reasonable accommodation must follow all required safety protocols identified in 

Section VI. This includes maintaining a distance of at least six feet from others at all times

(including in offices, conference rooms, and all other communal and workspaces), and 

properly wearing a facemask when the community transmission level is high, consistent with 

CDC guidelines. 

In addition to masking when community levels are high and social distancing when present 

in the workplace, an employee with an approved reasonable accommodation must be tested 

for COVID-19 prior to entering the workplace. These screening tests are intended to identify 

asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic infected individuals without known or suspected exposure 

to SARS-CoV-2. Testing is mandatory for these employees and must be performed two 

times per week (e.g., Monday and Thursday). Employees are required to coordinate an 

agreed upon testing schedule with their supervisor. Only results from a viral test, such as a 

PCR, or an antigen test, that has been authorized by the Food and Drug Administration to 

detect current infection, will be accepted. The test can be performed at any facility (e.g., 

Walgreens, CVS Pharmacy, their local health department) that provides a report of test 

results, a copy of which must be provided to your supervisor or their designee for each test. 

All testing documentation will be filed and maintained in the employee medical files (EMFs) 

pursuant to the government-wide system of records (OPM/GOVT-10) for EMFs, which is 

governed by OPM regulations (5 CFR, Part 293, Subpart E). Access to these records is 

limited to the Executive Director and/or the Human Resources Specialist. Employee 

confidentiality will be maintained at all times.

The Review Commission will reimburse these employees for the costs associated with any 

screening testing. In addition, the agency will pay for the cost of testing if the employee is 

required to visit another federal agency for official government business. The time an

employee spends obtaining the COVID-19 test (including travel time) is considered duty 

time. In most circumstances, the Review Commission will authorize employees to take no

more than one hour to travel to the testing site, complete testing, and return to the worksite. 

The reimbursement process for testing costs, including reasonable travel costs, is consistent 

with agency policy for local travel or temporary duty travel reimbursement. Please see 

OSHRC 21 - Travel and Transportation for additional information. 

An employee’s refusal to participate in the agency’s testing program may result in 

disciplinary action. In addition to pursuing any disciplinary action, the Review Commission 

may separately elect to bar the employee from the agency workplace for the health and safety 

of others pending resolution of any disciplinary or other action. If the Review Commission 

bars the employee from the workplace, and the nature of the employee’s duties cannot be 

performed via telework, the employee will be granted administrative leave until the question 

of disciplinary action is resolved. 

IV. Symptom and Exposure Monitoring

All employees and contractors must self-monitor for any symptoms related to COVID-19, such 

as fever or cough, and assess any potential exposure to COVID-19, before departing for and/or 
10 

arriving at the workplace. Please be responsible and do your part to keep yourself and your 

coworkers safe and healthy. 

As part of this self-monitoring process, employees and contractors must complete the OSHRC 

COVID-19 Screening Form in Appendix A before entering the workplace on any given day. A 

completed form is required for each day that you are scheduled to be present in the workplace. 

You cannot enter the workplace without completing and submitting this form.

A completed form must be submitted in one of the following ways: 

• By emailing the completed form to covid-19screening@oshrc.gov prior to your departure

for the workplace;

• By placing the completed form in the secured collection box located near the front

receptionist desk immediately upon your arrival at the workplace; or

• By hand-delivering the completed form to either the Executive Director or Human

Resources Specialist immediately upon your arrival at the workplace.

Access to these records is limited to the Executive Director and/or the Human Resources 

Specialist. Employee confidentiality will be maintained at all times in accordance with Equal 

Employment Opportunity Commission guidance. Please refer to the Privacy Act Statement on 

the screening form for additional information. 

If you are not approved for entry to the workplace based on your responses to the screening form 

questions, you must follow the form’s instructions. If you are working onsite (regardless of your 

vaccination status) and develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19 during the workday that 

you cannot attribute to another health condition or specific activity, or your answers to the 

screening form change such that you would no longer be approved for entry, you must 

immediately isolate, wear a facemask (if not already), notify your supervisor, and promptly leave 

the workplace. 

If you are sick and unable to work, contact your supervisor to request sick leave. If you feel well, 

you must either telework or request annual or sick leave. If circumstances exist such that your 

approved alternative worksite is no longer approved (partially or completely) during your 

regularly scheduled hours on the days you are not approved for entry to the workplace, you may 

request annual, sick, or administrative leave for the time you are unable to work. If you are not 

telework-ready, you may request administrative leave for the time you are unable to work. 

As provided in 5 CFR 630.401(a)(2), an employee is entitled to request sick leave if health 

authorities or a health care provider determine that the employee’s presence on the job would 

jeopardize the health of others because of exposure to a contagious disease. In addition, an 

employee is entitled to request sick leave to care for a family member who has been similarly 

exposed. The use of sick leave would be appropriate in these circumstances even if the employee 

or family member is not sick but would be limited to circumstances in which exposure alone 

would jeopardize the health of others and would only arise in cases of serious contagious 

diseases, such as contagious diseases in which Federal isolation and quarantine are authorized. 

(See CDC’s Legal Authorities for Isolation and Quarantine for additional information). 
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If you are exposed to or test positive for COVID-19, please follow the CDC's recommendations

below.

Start precautions immediately –

• Wear a mask as soon as you find out you were exposed. Start counting from day 1. 

o Day 0 is the day of your last exposure to someone with COVID-19.

o Day 1 is the first full day after your last exposure.

• Continue taking precautions for 10 full days.

You can still develop COVID-19 up to 10 days after you have been exposed. Therefore, you 

should –

• Wear a high-quality mask or respirator any time you are around others inside your home 

or indoors in public.

• Do not go places where you are unable to wear a mask.

• Take extra precautions if you will be around people who are more likely to get very sick 

from COVID-19.

Watch for the following symptoms –

• Fever (100.4°F or greater)

• Cough

• Shortness of breath

• Other COVID-19 symptoms

If you develop symptoms –

• Isolate immediately

• Get tested

• Stay home until you know the result.

• If your test result is positive, follow the isolation recommendations.

Get tested at least 5 full days after your last exposure –

• Test even if you don’t develop symptoms.

• If you already had COVID-19 within the past 90 days, see specific testing 

recommendations.

If you test negative –

• Continue taking precautions through day 10.

• Wear a high-quality mask when around others at home and indoors in public.

If you test positive –

• Isolate immediately. Ending isolation is based on how serious your COVID-19 symptoms 

were. Loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and need 

not delay the end of isolation.

• If you had no symptoms, then you may end isolation after day 5.
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V. Exposure Notification & Diagnostic Testing

A. Exposure Notification

If the Review Commission is notified that a person who has been present in the workplace has 

tested positive for COVID-19 or has been diagnosed as having symptoms consistent with 

COVID-19, employees and contractors who were also present in the workplace and in close 

contact with that person will be notified by the agency of any potential exposure. CDC 

guidance defines close contact as being within six feet of an infected person for a cumulative 

total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period starting from 48 hours before illness onset 

until the time the infected person is isolated.

If you begin to experience COVID-19 symptoms, please notify your supervisor, and follow 

the protocols in the section above on Symptom and Exposure monitoring.

Following any notification that a person who has been present in the workplace within the last 

24 hours has tested positive for COVID-19 or has been diagnosed with symptoms consistent 

with COVID-19, the Review Commission will have the entire workplace cleaned and 

disinfected.

Employee confidentiality will be maintained at all times in accordance with Equal 

Employment Opportunity Commission guidance. This means that Review Commission 

management will not share the name of the person who has tested positive for the coronavirus 

or has been diagnosed as having symptoms consistent with COVID-19.

Under OSHA’s recordkeeping requirements, if an employee tests positive for COVID-19, the 

case will be recorded on the OSHA Illness and Injury Log if each of the following conditions 

are met:

o The case is a confirmed case of COVID-19;

o The case is work-related (as defined by 29 CFR 1904.5); and

o The case involves one or more relevant recording criteria (set forth in 29 CFR 

1904.7) (e.g., medical treatment beyond first aid, days away from work).

The COVID-19 Coordination Team, as discussed in section XI, is responsible for 

collaborating with, and supporting the contact tracing programs of local health departments to 

help identify, track, and manage contacts of COVID-19 cases.

If a COVID-19 case occurs within a specific building or work setting, the COVID-19 

Coordination Team will determine—in consultation with local public health officials—

appropriate next steps. The Team will coordinate with appropriate staff to implement infection 

control and workplace safety efforts once informed of a known or suspected case of COVID19 (due either to specific symptoms or a positive test).
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B. Diagnostic Testing

If you have been exposed to COVID-19 at work, it is recommended that you receive a 

diagnostic test (e.g., a PCR, or antigen test, that has been authorized by the Food and Drug 

Administration) to detect current infection. Please refer to the CDC guidance set forth in the 

chart above in Section IV regarding exposure and testing. The Review Commission will 

reimburse an employee for the cost of any diagnostic testing. Contractors are responsible for 

all costs associated with any diagnostic testing. 

VI. Workplace Safety and Health Protocols

If you are an employee or contractor performing duties in a Review Commission worksite, you 

must do all that you can to keep yourself and your co-workers safe and healthy.

Onsite health and safety protocols depend upon COVID-19 community levels for the

counties/territory where the National and Regional offices reside (e.g., District of Columbia, 

Denver, and Fulton). The COVID-19 Coordination Team will track community transmission 

levels in these areas at least weekly to determine when mask-wearing and other health and safety 

measures recommended by the CDC and the Safer Federal Workforce Task force are required.

• When the level of transmission in the county/territory where a Review Commission 

office resides is high, all employees and contractors must—regardless of vaccination 

status—wear a facemask that meets CDC Guidelines in the workplace and practice social 

distancing.

• When the level of transmission in the county/territory where a Review Commission 

office resides is medium or low, employees and contractors are not required to wear a 

facemask, regardless of vaccination status. Employees and contractors whose 

vaccinations are up to date are not required to socially distance in the workplace.

Employees and contractors who are unvaccinated or whose vaccinations are not up to 

date must socially distance regardless of community level.

• Employees and contractors are encouraged to continue to practice mask-wearing and 

social distancing at the workplace when the level of transmission in the county/territory 

where a Review Commission office resides is medium, but the transmission levels of 

surrounding local counties from which employees/contractors travel to the office are

high.

• Where a locality imposes more protective pandemic-related safety requirements, those 

requirements must be followed by agency employees and contractors, in agency 

buildings, in agency-controlled indoor worksites, and on agency lands within that 

locality.

In addition, any in-person meeting, gathering, or training session initiated by an employee or 

contractor of the Review Commission must include an option for employees and contractors to 

attend the meeting virtually, using Zoom or Teams, or by telephone. Employees and contractors 
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who cannot attend or do not feel comfortable attending an in-person meeting, gathering, or 

training session may attend virtually or by telephone, either from their telework location or from 

their workstation in the office.

To assist with maintaining a safe and healthy environment, the Review Commission has installed 

plexiglass partitions in work areas that are shared by more than one employee. In addition, the 

Review Commission will continue to provide HEPA air purifiers to employees and contractors 

upon request for use in their individual office workspace. An air purifier can effectively reduce 

allergens, bacteria, and viruses in office air, creating a healthier indoor environment.

VII. Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) & Cleaning Supplies 

Supplies of hand sanitizer, disinfectant spray, wipes, paper towels, facemasks, and disposable 

gloves are available for your use in central locations throughout the workplace. All PPE must be 

properly disposed of in specially marked containers located in common areas of the workplace.

Please do not remove any agency-provided supplies from workspaces and common areas. Be 

courteous and responsible—do not use more supplies and PPE than needed to perform your 

duties safely.

If you are unable to use or wear required PPE in the workplace due to a disability, please notify 

your supervisor to request a reasonable accommodation. (See Section III for additional 

information).

A. Best Practices for Facemasks

The Review Commission provides disposable facemasks for use by its employees and 

contractors in the workplace. Employees and contractors are encouraged to follow the 

directions listed below to properly use and maintain facemasks.

o Wash reusable facemasks whenever they get dirty or at least once daily.

o Throw out a disposable facemask after wearing it once.

o Always wash your hands after handling or touching a used facemask.

Facemasks are made to contain droplets and particles you breathe, cough, or sneeze out. If 

they fit closely to the face, they can also provide some protection from particles spread by 

others, including the virus that causes COVID-19. Therefore, it is important to check that the 

facemask fits snugly over your nose, mouth, and chin.

Employees and contractors may also make or purchase their own facemasks (including those 

made of cloth) consistent with CDC guidelines for use in the workplace. Cloth facemasks can 

be made from a variety of fabrics and many types of cloth facemasks are available. The CDC 

recommends wearing a cloth facemask with 1) a proper fit over your nose, mouth, and chin to 

prevent leaks; 2) multiple layers of tightly woven, breathable fabric; 3) nose wire; and 4) 

fabric that blocks light when held up to bright light source. Novelty or non-protective masks, 

masks with ventilation valves, or face shields as a substitute for masks will not be permitted.
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B. Handwashing

The CDC advises that regular handwashing is one of the best ways to remove germs, avoid 

getting sick, and prevent the spread of germs to others. Please clean your hands often by 

washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in a 

public place, touch common surfaces such as door handles, or blow your nose, cough, or 

sneeze. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 

60% alcohol. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. For more 

information about handwashing, visit the CDC’s handwashing website here.

VIII. Building Management Initiatives

A. National Office 

Beacon Capital Partners and their property management team continue to work diligently 

to ensure the safety of all building tenants and visitors. Below is a summary of the key 

elements of their approach.

General Building Health and Safety Plan –

• There are enhanced tenant and visitor management guidelines.

• Hand sanitizer stations are available throughout common areas and at points of 

access, including elevators.

• Bathrooms that did not have touchless fixtures have been transitioned to touchless.

Building Disinfection and Cleaning –

• Best-practice protocols are in place for cleaning and disinfection to help minimize 

any contamination of surfaces (fomites), particularly common area high touchpoints 

(i.e., doorknobs, handrails, elevator cabs, turnstiles, kiosks, parking pay stations).

• All cleaning solutions and disinfectants are Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

approved.

Building Operations –

• Inspections and maintenance of all building systems are ongoing to ensure that they 

remain in good working order and are operating properly.

• The heating, ventilation and air conditioning system will continue to operate with 

high-efficiency filters.

Personal Protection and Procedures for Building Employees –

• Building staff, including property management, security, engineering, and janitorial, 

will continue to comply with all appropriate CDC-recommended personal protective 

equipment protocols.
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B. Denver and Atlanta Regional Offices

These facilities are managed by the GSA. GSA’s custodial staff will continue to clean

these facilities according to CDC guidelines. All cleaning products are EPA approved.

GSA building management staff will continue to take health and safety precautions that

are consistent with updated CDC guidance. These buildings meet all CDC requirements

for indoor ventilation.

IX. Travel

A. Temporary Duty Travel

As a result of a court order, the CDC’s January 29, 2021 Order requiring masks on public 

transportation conveyances and at transportation hubs is no longer in effect. Therefore, the 

CDC will no longer enforce the Order. However, the CDC continues to recommend that 

people wear facemasks in indoor public transportation settings. 

The Review Commission will take no action to implement or enforce the masking 

requirement for employees who travel for official government business. All employees

should adhere strictly to CDC for domestic and international before, during, and after travel 

for official agency business. There are no agency restrictions on official domestic travel 

beyond those already established in Review Commission policies. (See OSHRC 21 - Travel

and Transportation for additional information). 

For official international travel, all employees coming to the United States from China, Hong 

Kong, or Macau, or who have been in any of these areas in the past 10 days and are flying 

from one of these airports (Incheon International Airport in Seoul, Republic of Korea, 

Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada, or Vancouver International Airport in 

Canada), are required to have a negative COVID-19 viral test result no more than two days 

before the flight to the United States departs or they must show documentation of recovery 

from COVID-19 within the previous 90 days before boarding a flight to the United States 

(i.e., your positive COVID-19 viral test result on a sample taken no more than 90 days before 

the flight’s departure from a foreign country and a letter from a licensed healthcare provider 

or a public health official stating that you were cleared to travel).

The cost of testing for COVID-19, required for official domestic and international travel and

not available through a Federal dispensary or not covered (or reimbursable) through travel 

insurance, can be claimed in a travel voucher as a Miscellaneous Expense under agency travel 

policies. (See OSHRC 21 - Travel and Transportation for additional information). 

Employees who are fully vaccinated and returning from official international travel should get 

tested with a viral test 3-5 days after completing their travel; self-monitor for COVID-19 

symptoms; if symptoms develop, isolate, and get tested; and follow all recommendations or 

requirements of their local United States destination after travel.

In accordance with OSHRC 21 – Travel and Transportation, you are encouraged to use airline 

carriers that offer contract city pair fares. Contract city pair fares are discounted airfares
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negotiated under the GSA’s City Pair Program that offer federal travelers a fare that is below 

standard commercial rates. If you are having difficulty finding an airline carrier that offers the 

contract city pair fare, please contact the Travel Management Center at (800) 347-9779 to 

search for government rates for your destination. Additional resources for official travel can 

be found on the GSA COVID-19 Information Site. 

B. Commuting

Employees and contractors using public transportation to commute to and from the workplace 

must follow CDC guidance governing these services (e.g., mask wearing). If a mass transit 

agency has limited the services it provides due to the pandemic such that it will impact your 

ability to travel to and from the office in a timely manner, you should notify your supervisor 

and an adjustment to your work schedule may be approved at your supervisor’s discretion. 

X. Telework

Requirements for the Review Commission’s telework program are set forth in OSHRC 8 - 

Telework Directive. The program permits an eligible employee to telework as infrequently as 

one day per week or as frequently as three days per week. (See OSHRC 8 - Telework Directive

for additional information). 

XI. COVID-19 Coordination Team

As required by OMB M-21-15, the Review Commission has established a COVID-19 

Coordination Team. This Team consists of the Chairman or designee, Chief Counsel to the 

Chairman, Executive Director, General Counsel, and a public health expert assigned to the 

agency by the CDC. This Team will meet regularly to review compliance with agency COVID19 workplace safety plans and protocols, consider potential revisions to agency COVID-19 

workplace safety plans and protocols, and any other operational needs. As relevant and 

necessary, the Team coordinates facility safety planning with GSA and/or the lessor’s designated 

representative. The Team also coordinates all contractor safety protocols with the agency’s 

Contract Specialist.
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Appendix A:

OSHRC COVID-19 

Screening Form.pdf