Vaccination update

OSHA vaccine deadline upheld in federal court

To: All unattested union-represented employees and level 1 and level 2 frontline managers, with a copy to their supervisors

As we continue to see, the COVID situation remains fluid, and updates continue to come in on a near-daily basis – some that are encouraging and others that are worrisome. We’ll continue to adjust and adapt how we live and work in this ever-changing environment, because as we know by now, COVID is not going away anytime soon. We appreciate everything you're doing to continue to serve your customers and each other – and for how you continue to help us navigate this pandemic.

With that, you may have heard last month that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced a new standard and deadline for the COVID-19 vaccine – and that the standard had been temporarily paused by a federal court. 

However, on Friday, Dec. 17, the court lifted that pause, meaning the OSHA deadline is now enforceable across the U.S., superseding all state and local laws. 

We understand that this process has been confusing and that national and state laws have been changing regularly. However, today’s news is clear. All employers with over 100 employees (including AT&T) must enforce a vaccine deadline for U.S.-based employees.

That means that all employees who come into a work location,temporarily work from home or attend a company event – regardless of state laws – must be fully vaccinated* or have an approved job accommodation by Feb. 1, 2022. 

As we begin to approach our Feb. 1, 2022, vaccination deadline, we want to remind you that, in order to be fully vaccinated by that date, you must receive your vaccine doses no later than:

While the federal government’s vaccine requirements continue to be the subject of court proceedings - and states continue to consider legislation relating to vaccinations - we will continue to enforce our policies wherever it is lawful.

Remember, you are required to get the vaccine unless you get an approved job accommodation. You must also attest to your vaccinated status and upload an image of your vaccine card. You won’t be considered fully compliant with our policy until you upload an image of your vaccine card.  

For questions, visit our COVID-19 portal on HR OneStop, review our revised FAQ, or reach out to the HR COVID-19 Task Force Team.

*The CDC considers people to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 two weeks after they have received the second dose in a two-dose vaccine series (Pfizer or Moderna) or two weeks after they have received a single-dose vaccine (Johnson & Johnson).