Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 175 / Tuesday, September 14, 2021 / Presidential Documents 50989 

Executive Order 14043 of September 9, 2021 

Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal 

Employees 

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the 

laws of the United States of America, including sections 3301, 3302, and 

7301 of title 5, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows: 

Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of my Administration to halt the spread 

of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID–19), including the B.1.617.2 (Delta) 

variant, by relying on the best available data and science-based public health 

measures. The Delta variant, currently the predominant variant of the virus 

in the United States, is highly contagious and has led to a rapid rise 

in cases and hospitalizations. The nationwide public health emergency, first 

declared by the Secretary of Health and Human Services on January 31, 

2020, remains in effect, as does the National Emergency Concerning the 

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19) declared pursuant to the National 

Emergencies Act in Proclamation 9994 of March 13, 2020 (Declaring a National Emergency Concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID–19) 

Outbreak). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within 

the Department of Health and Human Services has determined that the 

best way to slow the spread of COVID–19 and to prevent infection by 

the Delta variant or other variants is to be vaccinated. 

COVID–19 vaccines are widely available in the United States. They protect 

people from getting infected and severely ill, and they significantly reduce 

the likelihood of hospitalization and death. As of the date of this order, 

one of the COVID–19 vaccines, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID–19 Vaccine, 

also known as Comirnaty, has received approval from the Food and Drug 

Administration (FDA), and two others, the Moderna COVID–19 Vaccine 

and the Janssen COVID–19 Vaccine, have been authorized by the FDA for 

emergency use. The FDA has determined that all three vaccines meet its 

rigorous standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality. 

The health and safety of the Federal workforce, and the health and safety 

of members of the public with whom they interact, are foundational to 

the efficiency of the civil service. I have determined that ensuring the 

health and safety of the Federal workforce and the efficiency of the civil 

service requires immediate action to protect the Federal workforce and individuals interacting with the Federal workforce. It is essential that Federal 

employees take all available steps to protect themselves and avoid spreading 

COVID–19 to their co-workers and members of the public. The CDC has 

found that the best way to do so is to be vaccinated. 

The Safer Federal Workforce Task Force (Task Force), established by Executive Order 13991 of January 20, 2021 (Protecting the Federal Workforce 

and Requiring Mask-Wearing), has issued important guidance to protect 

the Federal workforce and individuals interacting with the Federal workforce. 

Agencies have also taken important actions, including in some cases requiring 

COVID–19 vaccination for members of their workforce. 

Accordingly, building on these actions, and in light of the public health 

guidance regarding the most effective and necessary defenses against COVID– 

19, I have determined that to promote the health and safety of the Federal 

workforce and the efficiency of the civil service, it is necessary to require 

COVID–19 vaccination for all Federal employees, subject to such exceptions 

as required by law. 


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50990 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 175 / Tuesday, September 14, 2021 / Presidential Documents 

Sec. 2. Mandatory Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. Each agency shall implement, to the extent consistent with applicable 

law, a program to require COVID–19 vaccination for all of its Federal employees, with exceptions only as required by law. The Task Force shall issue 

guidance within 7 days of the date of this order on agency implementation 

of this requirement for all agencies covered by this order. 

Sec. 3. Definitions. For the purposes of this order: 

(a) The term ‘‘agency’’ means an Executive agency as defined in 5 U.S.C. 

105 (excluding the Government Accountability Office). 

(b) The term ‘‘employee’’ means an employee as defined in 5 U.S.C. 

2105 (including an employee paid from nonappropriated funds as referenced 

in 5 U.S.C. 2105(c)). 

Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed 

to impair or otherwise affect: 

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, 

or the head thereof; or 

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 

relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. 

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and 

subject to the availability of appropriations. 

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, 

substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party 

against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, 

employees, or agents, or any other person. 

(d) If any provision of this order, or the application of any provision 

to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of 

this order and the application of any of its other provisions to any other 

persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby. 

THE WHITE HOUSE, 

September 9, 2021. 

[FR Doc. 2021–19927 

Filed 9–13–21; 8:45 am] 

Billing code 3295–F1–P 


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