Govt Purchase on Guarding the Federal Workforce and Requiring Mask-Wearing

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the guidelines of the United States of The united states, such as area 7902(c) of title 5, United States Code, it is hereby purchased as follows:

Portion 1.  Policy.  It is the coverage of my Administration to halt the unfold of coronavirus illness 2019 (COVID-19) by relying on the best readily available facts and science-primarily based community wellbeing actions.  This kind of actions involve carrying masks when about many others, actual physical distancing, and other relevant safeguards recommended by the Centers for Disorder Control and Avoidance (CDC).  Place merely, masks and other public well being measures reduce the unfold of the disorder, particularly when communities make popular use of these types of steps, and consequently save lives.

Accordingly, to defend the Federal workforce and people interacting with the Federal workforce, and to ensure the continuity of Govt solutions and things to do, on-responsibility or on-internet site Federal staff, on-web-site Federal contractors, and other folks in Federal properties and on Federal lands should all put on masks, maintain physical distance, and adhere to other general public wellbeing actions, as provided in CDC guidelines. 

Sec. 2.  Fast Motion Pertaining to Federal Workforce, Contractors, Properties, and Lands.  (a)  The heads of government departments and businesses (businesses) shall promptly choose action, as acceptable and dependable with applicable law, to require compliance with CDC guidelines with regard to wearing masks, maintaining bodily length, and other community health actions by:  on-obligation or on-internet site Federal staff on-internet site Federal contractors and all folks in Federal structures or on Federal lands. 

(b)  The Director of the Workplace of Administration and Spending plan (OMB), the Director of the Business of Personnel Management (OPM), and the Administrator of Standard Expert services, in coordination with the President’s Administration Council and the Coordinator of the COVID-19 Reaction and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator), shall immediately situation steering to help heads of organizations with implementation of this part.

(c)  Heads of agencies shall immediately consult, as correct, with Condition, regional, Tribal, and territorial govt officers, Federal workers, Federal worker unions, Federal contractors, and any other fascinated events about the implementation of this part.

(d)  Heads of agencies may make categorical or case-by-circumstance exceptions in implementing subsection (a) of this portion to the extent that executing so is important or demanded by law, and consistent with applicable legislation.  If heads of companies make such exceptions, they shall involve proper alternative safeguards, these as further bodily distancing steps, supplemental screening, or reconfiguration of workspace, dependable with applicable regulation.  Heads of organizations shall doc all exceptions in crafting.

(e)  Heads of organizations shall overview their present authorities and, to the extent permitted by law and topic to the availability of appropriations and sources, find to present masks to people today in Federal properties when wanted.

(f)  The COVID-19 Reaction Coordinator shall coordinate the implementation of this part.  Heads of the agencies stated in 31 U.S.C. 901(b) shall update the COVID-19 Response Coordinator on their progress in employing this portion, which include any categorical exceptions proven under subsection (d) of this section, within 7 days of the day of this purchase and often thereafter.  Heads of organizations are inspired to bring to the attention of the COVID-19 Reaction Coordinator any questions relating to the scope or implementation of this portion. 

Sec. 3.  Encouraging Masking Across The united states.  (a)  The Secretary of Wellness and Human Providers (HHS), which include through the Director of CDC, shall interact, as suitable, with Condition, neighborhood, Tribal, and territorial officials, as properly as business, union, academic, and other community leaders, relating to mask-putting on and other public overall health steps, with the aim of maximizing community compliance with, and addressing any obstacles to, mask-putting on and other public health very best tactics recognized by CDC.

(b)  The COVID-19 Reaction Coordinator, in coordination with the Secretary of HHS, the Secretary of Homeland Protection, and the heads of other appropriate businesses, shall instantly detect and inform businesses of selections to incentivize, help, and encourage widespread mask-putting on consistent with CDC tips and relevant law.

Sec. 4.  Safer Federal Workforce Process Power.

(a)  Establishment.  There is hereby recognized the Safer Federal Workforce Process Drive (Activity Force).

(b)  Membership.  The Job Force shall consist of the subsequent customers:

(i)     the Director of OPM, who shall serve as Co-Chair

(ii)    the Administrator of Typical Products and services, who shall serve as Co-Chair

(iii)   the COVID-19 Reaction Coordinator, who shall serve as Co-Chair
(iv)    the Director of OMB

(v)     the Director of the Federal Protecting Support

(vi)    the Director of the United States Mystery Services

(vii)   the Administrator of the Federal Crisis Management Company

(viii)  the Director of CDC and

(ix)    the heads of this kind of other businesses as the Co-Chairs might individually or jointly invite to take part.

(c)  Firm.  A member of the Job Force could designate, to perform the Task Drive features of the member, a senior-level formal who is a complete-time officer or personnel of the member’s agency.  At the path of the Co-Chairs, the Undertaking Force may possibly build subgroups consisting completely of Undertaking Pressure associates or their designees, as ideal.

(d)  Administration.  The Common Services Administration shall present funding and administrative assistance for the Undertaking Power to the extent permitted by regulation and within just present appropriations.  The Co-Chairs shall convene regular meetings of the Process Power, establish its agenda, and direct its work.

(e)  Mission.  The Task Force shall offer ongoing guidance to heads of agencies on the operation of the Federal Govt, the security of its workforce, and the continuity of Government features throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.  These kinds of assistance shall be dependent on public wellness most effective procedures as established by CDC and other general public wellbeing authorities, and shall address, at a bare minimum, the pursuing topics as they relate to the Federal workforce: 

(i)     screening methodologies and protocols

(ii)    scenario investigation and make contact with tracing

(iii)   prerequisites of and limitations on actual physical distancing, together with proposed occupancy and density benchmarks

(iv)    products requirements and specifications, together with individual protecting equipment

(v)     air filtration 

(vi)    improved environmental disinfection and cleaning

(vii)   harmless commuting and telework solutions

(viii)  improved technological infrastructure to assistance telework

(ix)    vaccine prioritization, distribution, and administration

(x)     methods for coordinating with State, regional, Tribal, and territorial wellness officials, as very well as company, union, tutorial, and other community leaders

(xi)    any management infrastructure essential by agencies to employ community health guidance and

(xii)   instances underneath which exemptions could appropriately be made to company insurance policies in accordance with CDC guidelines, this sort of as for mission-vital needs. 

(f)  Agency Cooperation.  The head of just about every company mentioned in 31 U.S.C. 901(b) shall, consistent with relevant legislation, instantly give the Endeavor Pressure a report on COVID-19 protection protocols, safety programs, or assistance about the operation of the company and the security of its personnel, and any other data that the head of the agency deems applicable to the Job Force’s perform.  

Sec. 5.  Federal Worker Screening.  The Secretary of HHS, by the Director of CDC, shall immediately produce and submit to the COVID-19 Response Coordinator a tests strategy for the Federal workforce.  This system shall be centered on neighborhood transmission metrics and deal with the populations to be examined, screening forms, frequency of testing, good situation protocols, and coordination with community general public health authorities for contact tracing.

Sec. 6.  Analysis and Growth.  The Director of the Workplace of Science and Technologies Plan, in consultation with the Secretary of HHS (by means of the National Science and Technological know-how Council), the Director of OMB, the Director of CDC, the Director of the National Institutes of Wellness, the Director of the Nationwide Science Foundation, and the heads of any other suitable organizations, shall evaluate the availability of Federal investigation grants to examine very best tactics for utilizing, and improvements to much better employ, efficient mask-carrying and physical distancing procedures, with respect to equally the Federal workforce and the basic community.

Sec. 7.  Scope.  (a)  For purposes of this purchase: 

(i)    “Federal employees” and “Federal contractors” indicate staff (such as members of the Armed Forces and customers of the Countrywide Guard in Federal service) and contractors (such as these types of contractors’ workforce) working for the govt branch 

(ii)   “Federal buildings” suggests properties, or office environment area in structures, owned, rented, or leased by the govt department of which a considerable portion of occupants are Federal personnel or Federal contractors and 

(iii)  “Federal lands” implies lands under government branch regulate.

(b)  The Director of OPM and the Administrator of General Providers shall seek out to seek advice from, in coordination with the heads of any other applicable agencies and the COVID-19 Reaction Coordinator, with the Sergeants at Arms of the Senate and the Home of Reps and the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts (or these kinds of other folks specified by the The greater part and Minority Leaders of the Senate, the Speaker and Minority Chief of the Home, or the Main Justice of the United States, respectively), to advertise mask-sporting, bodily distancing, and adherence to other public health actions inside the legislative and judicial branches, and shall supply asked for technological assistance as needed to aid compliance with CDC recommendations.

Sec. 8.  General Provisions.  (a)  Absolutely nothing in this buy shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i)   the authority granted by regulation to an executive section or company, or the head thereof or

(ii)  the capabilities of the Director of the Place of work of Administration and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b)  This get shall be executed reliable with applicable legislation and issue to the availability of appropriations.

(c)  Unbiased organizations are strongly inspired to comply with the necessities of this order.

(d)  This get is not supposed to, and does not, produce any correct or advantage, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in fairness by any occasion versus the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, staff members, or agents, or any other man or woman.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

THE WHITE Home,
January 20, 2021.