Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government The White House appeared to have softened its stance on vaccine mandate deadlines, with COVID-19 Response Coordinator Jeff Zients saying they’re “creating flexibility within the system.” He noted employees have been offered multiple opportunities to get vaccinated, and he doesn’t expect any major disruptions once the mandates take effect.
“It’s important to remember that those deadlines are not cliffs,” Zients said on Wednesday. “The federal worker deadline is Nov. 22, and the federal contractor deadline is not until Dec. 8.”
The White House is still working out a vaccine standard for private businesses with more than 100 employees, with Zients saying the rules will be finalized “soon.” Several business groups and unions have pushed back on the vaccine mandates, particularly the pre-Christmas deadlines imposed on federal workers.
White House officials and the Office of Management and Budget held a series of meetings with labor unions and lobbyists last week, with the groups reportedly seeking a delay of the mandate until 2022.
Press secretary Jen Psaki also addressed opposition to the mandates from groups such as the American Trucking Association, a key group amid nationwide logistics delays.
“It’s important for people to understand that the first step here is not firing or quitting,” she answered. “The first step is counseling, and sometimes there are alternative options as well.”
The White House press office did not respond to emailed questions from the Washington Examiner regarding what those alternative options are or how long counseling might last, pointing to Zients’s previous statements.
Business groups and some unions have pushed the Biden administration to delay the implementation of vaccine mandates over fears of worker shortages. While many publicly urge employees to get the shots, they’re cautious regarding a blanket requirement.
A federal prison workers union is planning a protest outside the Justice Department on Friday to express discontent over the lack of negotiations on the vaccine mandates.
“Job Creators Network is very concerned about the impact that vaccine mandates will have on small businesses, so concerned in fact that we’re preparing to sue the Biden Administration over the vaccine mandate as soon as it’s implemented. We believe the vaccine mandate should not move forward, not in opposition to the vaccine, which I’ve taken and would encourage others to take, but in objection to how this mandate will impact small businesses,” the business group’s CEO, Alfredo Ortiz, said in a statement. “The Administration’s proposed mandate is a dramatic overreach of federal power, even by Covid-19 standards.”
“Our position has been consistent,” said United Auto Workers spokesman Brian Rothenberg. “The UAW strongly encourages all members to get vaccinated, but we understand that circumstances like health-related issues and religion may need to be accommodated. We are waiting to look at the final regulations and how they impact our members and the over 700 contracts they have bargained.”
