Did You Know?

The Emergency Back Up

Dependent Care Program is

available to DOL employees

through WorkLife4You. They

help connect employees

with reliable care providers

Vol. 8 | January 2022

Reentry phase dates have been

updated.

Phase 1 now begins no earlier than February 28, 2022. Please see the offic

announcement and visit the reentry page on LaborNet for more informatio

DOL Workplace Safety Plan Updates

The DOL COVID 19 Coordination Team continues to update DOL‘s policies

guidance based on the guidance from the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force

and recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Preven

(CDC). Please refer to the DOL Workplace Safety Plan for DOL-specific policie

The CDC recently released recommendations related to vaccines, booster

tests, quarantine, and isolation. If you have questions about how t

guidance applies to your personal health situation, please reach out to yo

healthcare professional or public health authority.

In Case You Missed It

Here is a quick recap of the latest COVID-19

information and guidance sent to all D

employees:

DOL Reentry Update – Phase 1 Date

Moved to February 28

New COVID-19 Testing Guidan

REQUIRED: Workplace Safety Training

(PDF)
who are available — even at

the last minute — to look

after children, adults, 

even yourself during

scheduled work hours when

regular care arrangements

are interrupted.

Learn more on LaborNet.

DOL Internal Reentry and PostReentry Plan (PDF)

Workplace Safety Plan (PDF)

Extension of Workplace Flexibiliti

(PDF)

Masking Requirements by DOL

Locati

Reentry: Health and Safety Reminders

The Health and Safety Guidance page on LaborNet has been updated. As we

prepare for reentry, all DOL Federal and contractor employees should

remember to do the following:

Complete the daily health screening each day before coming to work in

the office or in the field. This requirement applies to visitors as 

Check the masking requirements for DOL facilities — they a

associated with vaccination status, the level of transmission in yo

community, and local public health requirements. Bring a mask with

you just in case.

Complete the required Workplace Safety Training on LaborNet. This

training must be completed in advance or within eight (8) hours of

return to onsite work. Employees must email their direct supervisor or

Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) upon co

DOL Occupant Emergency Plan course is mandatory and available on

LearningLink. This course should be taken prior to returning to on-site

work, or shortly thereafte

Use disinfectant wipes and other EPA-approved disinfectants available in

common office areas to wipe down workstations and other surf

Vaccination Requirement Upda

Vaccination is our strongest tool against COVID-19, and we’re proud of o

DOL team for getting vaccinated and boosted to protect themselves, th

colleagues, and the public. The Federal Government’s implementation 

vaccination requirements for Federal employees has increased vaccinat
protected our workforce and the public, and strengthened

our ability to serve the American people.

On January 21, a district court judge issued a preliminary

nationwide injunction prohibiting implementa

enforcement of the vaccination requirement pursuant 

Executive Order 14043. To ensure compliance with t

preliminary nationwide injunction, which ma

supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoi

litigation, DOL will not take any actions to implement or enfor

vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043. This incl

pausing all activities related to processing exception requests a

disciplinary action

DOL will continue to request information regarding the vaccination sta

employees for the purpose of implementing workplace safety protocols, su

as those related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, a

quarantine. Please stay tuned for future update

Stay Up to Date on Your Vaccines

CDC recommends that people remain up to date with their vaccines, which

includes additional doses for individuals who are immunocompromised 

booster doses at regular time points. Individuals who are moderately 

severely immunocompromised should get an additional primary shot and

booster shot.

Effective January

2022, while the

nationwide prelimina

injunction is in plac

employees may use up to

four hours of

administrative lea

instead of duty time 

obtain a primary series

dose of the COVID-19

vaccine during work

hours. Administrati

leave may also continue to be used for authorized boosters and additi

doses received by employees or their family members during an employee’s

tour of duty consistent with the guidelines.
We encourage you to get a booster dose as soon as you are able. Please note

that you don’t have to get the same brand of booster shot as your initi

vaccine series. 

Testi

The Department recently released new guidance on

COVID-19 testing for DOL Federal employees. Details 

the guidance can be found in the all-employee email

and on the new Testing Page on LaborNe

The guidance outlines when the Department will pay

for or reimburse for COVID-19 testing costs for feder

employees. Cost coverage/reimbursement for COVID-19 testing may 

applicable in the case of a workplace exposure, if required while performing

your job, or for official travel. COVID-19 test purchases can be made us

Government Purchase Cards (GPC) or by seeking reimbursement using form

SF-1034 in accordance with guidance from OCFO.

All employees who are not fully vaccinated and coming onsite to a DOL facility

or other in-person worksite will be required to test for COVID-19 as part of

the Department’s screening program. Employees who work onsite regularly

or are required to remain in readiness status must be tested weekly, and

employees who work onsite intermittently should test within three days pri

to coming onsite.

Separate from the DOL

Testing Policy outlin

above, you may find th

you have a need for

diagnostic COVID-

testing in your person

life. Every home in the U.S.

is eligible to order 4 free

at-home COVID-19 tests.

The tests are completely

free. Orders will usually

ship in 7-12 days.

The tests available for order:
Are available for every residential address in the U.S., including U.

Territories and overseas military and diplomatic address

Are FDA-authorized rapid antigen at-home tests, not P

Can be taken anywhere

Give results within 30 minutes (no lab drop-off require

Work whether or not you have COVID-19 symptoms

Work whether or not you are up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines

Are also referred to as self-tests or over-the-counter (OTC) tests

The website COVIDtests.gov also provides additional resources for immedia

testing need

Please note that these at-home kits may not satisfy DOL's Testing Po

requirements that the test result comes in the form of written or electron

documentation that includes the employee's name, date of test, and te

result.

Health and Wellness Learning Series

A new year can bring new prospects, but it can also bring

change. As we prepare for reentry to onsite work, the

Employee Assistance Program will be hosting a health a

wellness learning series for DOL employees designed to

help participants learn helpful techniques for dealing wi

change at home or in the workplace. All DOL employees

are welcome to participate. You do not need to register f

a session; however, space is limited!

Visit the Learning Series LaborNet page for session details and links.

Procurement Guidance

In advance of Reentry Phase 1, the Office of the Senior Procurem

Executive is hosting information sessions for the Contract

Representative (COR) community which will review guidance related 

contractor reentry. CORs are directed to attend the following 30-minu

session if they haven’t already attended a previous sessio

Monday, January 31, 2022 at 10:00am EST
Additional details can be found in Informational Notice 2022-03. 

contact the Project Management Office at OSPE-PMO@dol.gov with 

question

The contractor vaccination requirement 

Executive Order 14042, which requir

Federal contractor employees to be fully

vaccinated by no later than January 18,

2022, is currently the subject of injunctio

issued by Federal courts. DOL will take no

action to enforce the clause implemen

requirements of Executive Order 14042, F

Deviation Clause 52.223-99, Ensuring Adequate COVID-19 Safety Protocols f

Federal Contractors (Oct 2021), absent further written notice from

Department, where the place of performance identified in the contract is 

U.S. state or outlying area subject to a court order prohibiting the applica

of requirements pursuant to the Executive Order (hereinafter referred t

“Excluded States and Outlying Areas”).

In all other circumstances, DOL will enforce the aforementioned claus

except for contractor employees who perform substantial work on or 

connection with a covered contract in an Excluded States and Outlying Are

or in a covered contractor workplace located in an Excluded State or Outlying

Area. A current list of such Excluded States and Outlying Areas is maintained

at the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force’s contractor guidance page.

Current court orders only apply to the application of requirements pursua

to EO 14042. There is no change to the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force’s

guidance for COVID-19 workplace safety protocols. DOL contractors and

contract employees must continue to adhere to the DOL Workplace Safe

Plan.

If you have any questions, please contact OSPE’s Customer Engageme

Management Branch at 

Check out these resources on the 

DOL COVID-19 LaborNet page!

VaxTrak Homepage

Vaccine Info

Reentry Info

DOL Plans and Procedures

Medical and Religious

Accommodations for Vacci
Employee Messages

Past COVID-19 Connecti

Newslette

Requirement

Training and Video Resources

FAQs

Questions? Please email us at