{"id":17958,"date":"2022-01-25T16:59:50","date_gmt":"2022-01-25T16:59:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2022\/01\/25\/va-pauses-punishment-for-non-medical-staff-still-unvaccinated-against-covid\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T05:48:18","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T05:48:18","slug":"va-pauses-punishment-for-non-medical-staff-still-unvaccinated-against-covid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/veterans\/2022\/01\/25\/va-pauses-punishment-for-non-medical-staff-still-unvaccinated-against-covid\/","title":{"rendered":"VA pauses punishment for non-medical staff still unvaccinated against COVID"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Veterans Affairs officials will hold off on<a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/veterans\/2022\/01\/18\/no-firings-yet-for-va-workers-who-refuse-covid-vaccines-despite-continued-warnings\/\" target=\"_blank\"> disciplinary action<\/a> against non-medical staffers who have not yet received the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/coronavirus\/\" target=\"_blank\">COVID-19 vaccine<\/a> in light of a federal court ruling last week questioning the legality of the mandate, according to an internal memo from the secretary sent out to staff on Monday and obtained by Military Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/veterans\/2022\/01\/12\/va-wont-mail-out-covid-kits-but-veterans-can-get-free-tests-at-clinics\/\" target=\"_blank\">health care workers<\/a> within the VA system aren\u2019t covered by the court order, and can still be transferred or fired for refusing the vaccine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe will continue to enforce the vaccine requirement for those employees, such as psychologists, pharmacists, social workers, nursing assistants, physical therapists, respiratory therapists, peer specialists \u2026 [and] VA volunteers in similar roles,\u201d VA Secretary Denis McDonough wrote in the message to staffers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis means that any [Veterans Health Administration] employee or volunteer who works in VHA facilities, visits VHA facilities, or provides direct care to those we serve is still required to be fully vaccinated or have an approved exception and comply with workplace safety protocols.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2022\/01\/14\/new-16-billion-va-medical-records-system-delayed-again-this-time-by-covid\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"235\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6661670.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">New $16 billion VA medical records system delayed again. This time by COVID<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Plans to deploy the software in Ohio in March are being pushed back almost two months.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At issue is a decision from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas on Friday which blocked a White House mandate from last September for all federal workers to get the vaccine. Biden administration officials have already appealed the decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While that legal fight continues, McDonough said that officials will pause implementation and enforcement of the vaccinate mandate for non-medical employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis means that we will hold on processing vaccine exception requests, implementing discipline for noncompliance with the vaccine requirement and requiring job applicants for roles other than VHA health care positions to be fully vaccinated,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But he also added that medical personnel not covered in the court order would not be granted the same pause, and the decision would have \u201cno impact on other safety protocols, meaning that masking, physical distancing, testing, travel and quarantine requirements are still in effect.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the latest department data, about 11 percent of VA\u2019s workforce remains unvaccinated or has not yet reported their vaccination status. That\u2019s almost 55,000 workers across the department\u2019s medical centers, benefits offices and cemetery locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although the deadline for vaccinations was set for last fall, no employees have been fired or dismissed so far for failing to comply with the mandate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">McDonough last week told reporters that discipline will come for individuals who continue to refuse to follow the federal order. But rather than focusing on firings, department leaders have been working to educate employees about the importance of the vaccine for public health and facility safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/2022\/01\/18\/no-firings-yet-for-va-workers-who-refuse-covid-vaccines-despite-continued-warnings\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6552051.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">No firings yet for VA workers who refuse COVID vaccines, despite continued warnings<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Officials had said firings could start this month for staffers who missed vaccination deadlines last fall.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In his message to the workforce on Monday, he reiterated that approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEnsuring the health and safety of our workforce and the veterans we serve is my highest priority,\u201d he said. \u201cThe best way to protect you, your families, your colleagues and veterans from all variants of COVID-19 \u2014 including Omicron \u2014 is to get the vaccine and any recommended additional doses and booster shots, which provide strong protection against infection, hospitalization and death.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Vaccines and booster shots are available to staff for free through the VA health care system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">More than 55,000 VA employees have contracted coronavirus since the start of the pandemic in the United States in March 2020, and at least 243 have died from complications related to the illness.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Staffers in non-medical posts will not face firings while a court battle over the vaccine mandate is 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