New COVID-19 Testing Policy - Additional

Guidance Follow Up

Good Morning,

On January 12, 2022, the Department of Labor announced new guidance on COVID-19 testing. As part of this guidance,

the Department indicated it will pay for, or reimburse, costs associated with testing for DOL employees when required.

This includes performance of DOL work or official travel, in the case of workplace exposure, or as part of the

Department’s screening policy that requires regular testing for not fully vaccinated employees coming onsite. Detailed

guidance of this policy regarding payment and test acceptability are available on LaborNet.

Any COVID-19 test is acceptable so long as it is both 1) FDA authorized and 2) the test result comes in the form of

written or electronic documentation that includes the employee's name, date of test, and test result. Options for testing

methods include: (1) in-store or drive-through point-of care (POC) testing, such as at pharmacies, (2) swab-testing

capabilities that enable an individual to collect the specimen — using a self-collection kit — and drop it off at a

designated collection location or ship it to a laboratory, (3) over-the-counter (OTC) tests, as long as those tests are not

both self-administered and self-read by the employee unless observed by an authorized telehealth provider, or (4) other

self-administered tests, as long as those tests are not also self-read by the employee unless observed by an authorized

telehealth provider. If testing for official travel is required or because a non-DOL organization is requiring the test,

employees should confirm if there are additional restrictions on testing type.

In circumstances where the Department has indicated it will pay for testing — and free testing options are unavailable —

it may be appropriate for agencies to purchase test kits from available sources. These sources may include local vendors

(e.g., pharmacies). In the event the purchase of test kits is determined to be appropriate, the use of the Government

Purchase Card (GPC) is an authorized method of purchase and payment. All rules and guidance related to the proper

use of GPCs by DOL agencies must be followed. Alternatively, when use of the GPC is not possible, employees should

seek reimbursement using form SF-1034. In addition to the SF-1034, agencies should submit a Miscellaneous Obligation

Request (MOR) utilizing document type “18 – Employee Reimbursement.” These forms together with any other

necessary support should be submitted to your agency’s financial servicing office.

If the testing is for official travel, travel costs associated with getting the test can also be paid for or reimbursed with prior

supervisory approval. Employees should request reimbursement using a travel voucher in the E2 travel system. OCFO is

working with the E2 travel system’s service provider to implement a new cost code to voucher for these costs. Once, the

codes are available for use by DOL’s travel community OCFO will provide additional guidance.

In order to track all Departmental cost associated with this new testing policy, OCFO has created a new object class in

the New Core Financial Management System. This object class will be used for all valid expenses that comply with this

new policy. Below are the details of the new object class:

Object Class Number: 252094

Object Class Title: COVID-19 Testing – ONLY

LABORNET
Please note, the purchase and utilization of tests kits using appropriated funds must meet a qualified circumstance

outlined in the testing policy. The benefit from such purchases must accrue to the government. Care should be taken to

ensure test kits purchased with appropriated funds are only used by DOL employees in the furtherance of the testing

policy. This means, for example, that the Department must not pay for the testing of employees’ family members, or for

testing that an employee needs or desires for personal reasons not directly stemming from work. The purchase and/or

use of test kits outside of the testing policy may be considered a misuse of government funds, and/or an unauthorized

use of the GPC, and could subject an employee to adverse personnel action.

If you have any questions about procurement or Government Purchase Card use pertaining to this notice, please contact

the OSPE Project Management Office at For all other questions, please contact

Westley Everette, CGFM

Assoc. Deputy Chief Financial Officer - Fiscal Integrity

US Department of Labor - OCFO

Mobile: 202-384-5050

Desk: 202-693-6877

“Upholding strong financial management, accountability and financial stewardship”

Posted: January 19, 2022