Coronavirus Information

(*Note: This message was issued on May 16, 2022, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Team,

Last week our agency turned a corner and began to transition toward full reentry. Many people who had been on extended situational telework ventured into DLA workspaces, some for the first time in two years. Our DLA team members who have been carrying on their duties onsite throughout the pandemic may be noticing longer waits at the gates and entrances and more people in the parking lots, elevators, and hallways.

As we work through this transition period, employee safety will remain paramount. Leaders are making decisions based on how we can best protect employee health and wellness while maintaining our mission effectiveness.

Please review the list below for things to keep in mind.

• The DLA Coronavirus Information Site provides comprehensive guidance summaries and FAQs on topics such as leave available for receiving COVID vaccinations, workplace practices if you’ve had close contact with someone who has COVID, mask usage, and the guidelines for various Health Protection Conditions (HPCONs). The site also includes direct links to COVID info from the Department of Defense (DoD) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as info on finding a COVID vaccine near you.
• Guidance for each HPCON level is outlined in the DLA COVID-19 Reentry and Safety Plan. HPCON Levels A, B, and C correspond directly to CDC COVID-19 Community Levels of low, medium, and high community transmission, respectively. Local community transmission levels are established by consulting the CDC COVID-19 Data Tracker County View.
• The DLA Reentry Checklist for Employees is a useful tool to help you think of items that might require your attention as working conditions change. Not every item on the checklist will apply to every employee.
• Vaccination, including boosters after the appropriate interval of time, is the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones against severe disease and death due to COVID-19. You can find COVID-19 vaccines near you by visiting Vaccines.gov.
• Federal agencies must require employees to provide vaccination status. Employees who receive an initial vaccine dose or complete a vaccine series are required to update the DLA COVID-19 Documentation System. New employees or employees whose vaccination status has changed are required to update the system in a timely manner. Advise your supervisor once updated, so they can verify the information for reporting purposes.

I recognize that the events of the pandemic may have been traumatic to many of our DLA team members, and returning to onsite work could pose a stressful adjustment. Even if you haven’t experienced illness or loss, simple things we took for granted before the pandemic – such as planning for your commute or packing lunch – can take on new significance or take more thought after two years of working under different conditions. It’s also important for us to be mindful that many of our DLA teammates have worked tirelessly onsite in multiple critical missions throughout the past two years.

If you are experiencing stress and anxiety, you can reach help through the DLA Employee Assistance Program (EAP) 24/7/365 by calling 866-580-9046 or visiting https://www.dla.mil/Careers/Employees/EAP/. The EAP Work-Life Services can also help you prepare for changing circumstances at home, including information and resources on planning for and finding childcare, adult care, and pet care.

Communication within offices, among team members, and between supervisors and employees is a critical factor and a key to success. The reentry period is an opportunity for us to build and strengthen cohesive teams and celebrate our many successes. Just like in the early days of the pandemic when we worked together to find new ways of doing things and supporting each other, we’re all in this transition together.

Thank you for all you do.

Warfighter Always!

SHARYN J. SAUNDERS
Director
DLA Human Resources

(*Note: This message was issued on April 22, 2022, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Team,

As more people prepare to return to DLA workplaces, many after an extended period of situational telework, some employees have expressed concern about their health and safety in the workplace.

The federal COVID.gov website administered by the Department of Health and Human Services was recently revamped to help individuals better understand the relative risk in their communities and make informed choices about managing that risk. If you have concerns about avoiding severe illness from COVID and minimizing your chances of infection, there are many steps you can take.

• Vaccines/boosters: Being fully vaccinated and boosted is the best way to protect against severe illness and hospitalization from COVID-19. You can find a vaccine or booster near you at Vaccines.gov.
• Masks: Due to a low Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 Community Level, most DLA locations are not requiring mask use at this time. However, people may choose to wear a mask around others for a variety of reasons. Individuals may have health concerns or live with a young child who can’t receive a vaccine or family member who has a severe health condition. As more of us come together in DLA workspaces, it’s critical that we respect each other’s choices. DLA leaders won’t tolerate bullying or derisive comments to or about others.
• Testing: COVID tests can help you know if you have COVID-19 when you have symptoms, have been exposed, or are about to meet with others. At-home tests are widely available, and every household in the U.S. is eligible to order two sets of four free at-⁠home tests.
• Physical distancing: Per CDC recommendations, if you are not up to date on COVID-19 vaccines, stay at least 6 feet away from other people, especially if you are at higher risk of getting very sick with COVID-19. Under current DoD/DLA guidance, physical distancing in DLA workplaces is required until HPCON 0, regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status.

Most locations in the United States are now listed as green in the CDC COVID-19 Community Level. The CDC website lists recommended individual- and household-level prevention behaviors based on the local community level. 

Here in DLA, the Agency’s COVID-19 Coordination Team (CCT) has refreshed the DLA Coronavirus Information Page with new guidance summaries and FAQs geared toward reentry and DLA workplace practices. You can also find all previous pandemic-related all-hands messages on this page.

No discussion of reentry and workplace safety would be complete without recognizing the large percentage of DLA team members who have continued working onsite in Agency workplaces throughout the pandemic. We could not have met our critical mission requirements without these employees, and we owe them our gratitude.

All of DLA is working together to ensure a safe and productive return to more traditional working conditions. Talk to your supervisor and local leaders about your concerns and questions, and stay flexible as we work through unforeseen situations and challenges.

Changing circumstances can cause stress and anxiety. You can reach help through the DLA Employee Assistance Program (EAP) 24/7/365 by calling 866-580-9046 or visiting https://www.dla.mil/Careers/Employees/EAP/. The EAP Work-Life Services can also help you prepare for changing circumstances at home, including childcare, adult care, and pet care.

As always, thank you for your professionalism as we work through this transition together.

Warfighter Always!

SHARYN J. SAUNDERS
Director
DLA Human Resources

(*Note: This message was issued on April 7, 2022, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Team,

As COVID-19 conditions improve around the country, DLA and other Federal Government agencies are executing plans to bring employees who have been predominantly teleworking throughout the pandemic back into their worksites.

Many of our DLA teammates have worked tirelessly onsite in multiple critical missions over the past two years, and we are grateful for their dedicated service.

This week, most DLA civilian employees are receiving a memo titled, “Notice of Reentry to the Workplace.” For those who have been in an extended situational telework status, this serves as the official 30-day notice of reentry required by Federal guidance. Not everyone will be returning in exactly 30 days, as DLA plans to stagger returns and slowly begin phased reentry back into the workplace. DLA supervisors will be working with each of you to develop a reentry timeline and adjust work schedules as necessary while considering such things as maintaining adequate physical space between employees and maximum occupancy as outlined in Health Protection Condition (HPCON) guidelines.

Reentry planning is being governed by rules set forth in the DLA COVID-19 Reentry and Safety Plan, which complies with the Consolidated Department of Defense Coronavirus Disease Force Health Protection Guidance.

You will be reentering a workplace that might look and feel different from the one you left, with reminders to wash your hands, maintain physical distancing, and adhere to occupancy limits in conference rooms and meeting spaces. Attached to this message is a DLA Reentry Checklist for Employees. This checklist was prepared to help you think of the myriad of items that might require your attention as you prepare for a change in working conditions. Not every item on the checklist will apply to every employee. It’s important to ask questions, seek guidance, and express concerns with your supervisor as we all cooperate in working toward reentry.

As we begin coming together in DLA workplaces, many of us after an extended absence, the most important thing you can do to protect yourself from serious disease or death from COVID-19 is to obtain both the initial series of COVID-19 vaccinations and, after the appropriate interval of time has passed, to receive a booster. Federal officials also recently approved a second booster for individuals over 50 years of age. Comprehensive information on vaccinations and boosters is available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). You can find COVID-19 vaccines near you by visiting Vaccines.gov.

The DLA COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System was recently updated and now includes the ability to record data on boosters and additional doses.

Your senior leaders and I recognize it has been a long time since we have all been together in our DLA workplaces. Many of you have joined the DLA team in the past two years and may have never been to work onsite or met your co-workers in person. It might also be a stressful or emotional transition for some, as personal circumstances might have changed since you last regularly reported to the worksite. If you are experiencing stress or anxiety, please reach out to the DLA Employee Assistance Program by calling 1-866-580-9046 or visiting https://www.dla.mil/Careers/Employees/EAP/.

Thank you in advance for all you do and for your patience and flexibility as we progress through this together.

Warfighter Always!

SHARYN J. SAUNDERS
Director
DLA Human Resources

(*Note: This message was issued on March 25, 2022, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Team,

Last week the Department of Defense (DoD) released a memo titled “DoD Workplace Guidance for Final Reentry of DoD Civilian Personnel” that gives the greenlight for us to move forward with plans for reentry.

A large percentage of the DLA workforce has continued to work onsite throughout the pandemic, meeting critical mission needs to support our warfighters and the nation’s public health authorities.

For those of you who have continued supporting DLA’s mission while teleworking, I wanted to give you an idea of what to expect in the coming weeks and months.

First, rest assured, no one is flipping a switch and saying, “OK, we’re back to the office.” Reentry will be a deliberate process, and employees will be provided adequate advance notice. It will be dependent on several factors and will not look the same in every DLA location and organization. These factors include mission requirements, CDC COVID-19 Community Levels, and DoD Health Protection Condition (HPCON). While a location is at an elevated HPCON, occupancy in the workplace is limited. For example, HPCON B is less than 50% of normal occupancy. Given this limit and social distancing requirements, most locations are likely to be in a transition period between maximum telework and routine status for some time. Telework days and schedules will need to be adjusted based on maximum occupancy levels specified in the HPCON guidance.

The DLA COVID-19 Coordination Team (CCT) continues to develop an updated DLA Reentry and Safety Plan that will provide guidance on full reentry, while prioritizing safe and healthy work environments. CCT members are also developing reentry materials, such as an FAQ, checklists, and online resources. 

The Future of Work initiative is a separate path and one that may eventually intersect with full reentry. We must also be ready to take detours and pauses along the reentry journey, as the pandemic is dynamic and manifests differently by location, setting, population, and individual. At each leg of the journey, Agency leaders will be working to find the right balance of onsite and telework to best meet both the organization’s mission and individual employees’ needs. That balance might fluctuate over time based on local pandemic conditions and mission requirements.

Questions or concerns can be directed to your servicing DLA Human Resources Services office: https://www.dla.mil/Careers/Contact/,  or you can write to askhr@dla.mil and your message will be forwarded to your servicing DLA Human Resources Customer Account Manager (CAM).

Thank you for your continued professionalism as we work through the coming reentry phase.

Warfighter Always!

SHARYN J. SAUNDERS
Director
DLA Human Resources

(*Note: This message was issued on March 1, 2022, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Team,

Late last week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) introduced the concept of COVID-19 Community Levels for recommending individual-, household-and community-level illness-prevention behaviors and strategies. Most significantly for many people, COVID-19 Community Levels are now considered “low” in a majority of U.S. locations, meaning most people can safely forego wearing facemasks in public indoor settings.

New Defense Department guidance issued March 1, 2022, aligns safety protocols on DoD installations and facilities with these CDC recommendations.

Effective immediately, the following masking guidance based on CDC COVID-19 Community Levels applies to all DoD and DLA workplaces in the United States:

• When the CDC COVID-19 Community Level is high in the county where a DoD installation or facility is located, indoor mask-wearing is required for all service members, DoD civilian employees, onsite DoD contractor personnel, and visitors, regardless of vaccination status.
• When the CDC COVID-19 Community Level is medium in the county where a DoD installation or facility is located, indoor mask-wearing is not required for DoD personnel or visitors.
• When the CDC COVID-19 Community Level is low in the county where a DoD installation or facility is located, indoor mask-wearing is not required for DoD personnel or visitors.

Individuals may choose to wear a mask regardless of the COVID-19 Community Level. It’s important for us to respect all colleagues and keep in mind there are many reasons individuals may elect to continue wearing a mask.

DoD force health protection guidance for workplace access and mask wearing for DoD personnel with symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19 remains in effect regardless of the CDC COVID-19 Community Level.

All other force health protection guidance remains in effect, including guidance regarding workplace access, occupancy levels, physical distancing, travel, and meetings.

Installations outside the U.S. should consult country-level data for their Host Nations (HN) if local community-level data is unavailable. Case-rate information is available from the CDC at https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#global-counts-rates and the World Health Organization at https://covid19.who.int/.

Thank you for your continued cooperation and patience while the DLA COVID Coordination Team (CCT) works to provide the most up-to-date info possible as the federal courts make decisions and government agencies, including DoD, update policies and procedures.

Questions or concerns can be directed to your servicing DLA Human Resources Services office: https://www.dla.mil/Careers/Contact/,  or you can write to askhr@dla.mil and your message will be forwarded to your servicing DLA Human Resources Customer Account Manager (CAM).

Warfighter Always!

SHARYN J. SAUNDERS
Director
DLA Human Resources

(*Note: This message was issued on February 17, 2022, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Team,

A nationwide injunction against implementation and enforcement of Executive Order 14043, Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees, remains in effect. However, many health and safety protocols designed to protect the workforce are still in place.

• All service members, federal employees, onsite contractors, and visitors must wear a mask while indoors on installations or other DoD facilities in areas of substantial or high community transmission. Substantial or high community transmission is reported by county on COVID Data Tracker website provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). CDC mask guidelines recommend the most protective mask that fits well and that you will wear consistently.
• Individuals who are not fully vaccinated must also continue to maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet where possible.
• Personnel who have signs or symptoms consistent with COVID-19 (e.g., fever, cough, or shortness of breath) will notify their commander or supervisor and stay home. Personnel who develop any signs or symptoms consistent with COVID-19 during the workday must immediately distance from other workers, wear a face mask (if they are not already wearing one), notify their supervisor, and promptly leave the workplace.

Details of workplace practices and policies are available on the DLA Coronavirus Information Page.

Vaccine Documentation System

Some workplace safety practices, such as testing, masking, distancing, and travel, may be dependent on whether or not an employee is vaccinated. For these reasons, federal agencies must require documentation from employees to prove vaccination. Employees who receive an initial vaccine dose or complete a vaccine series are still required to update the DLA COVID-19 Documentation System. New employees or employees whose vaccination status has changed are required to update the system in a timely manner. Also advise your supervisor once updated, so they can verify the information for reporting purposes.

Boosters/Admin Leave

The CDC continues to stress the best way to protect yourself and those around you from COVID-19, including the Omicron variant and any future variants, remains vaccination and boosters as appropriate! The federal government has made several leave flexibilities available to federal employees to remove impediments to vaccination.

• DLA employees are authorized to use up to four hours of administrative leave for any COVID-19 vaccination dose. Administrative leave is authorized for the initial vaccine or series, a booster dose, or a fourth dose for employees who are immunocompromised or those with a serious medical condition.
• Employees may also receive up to four hours of administrative leave per dose to accompany a family member to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine.
• The four hours of administrative leave covers vaccines administered by any source, including DoD, federal, state, and local government organizations, or private health care providers and commercial pharmacies, such as Walgreens, CVS, etc.
• Employees who experience an adverse reaction to a COVID-19 vaccination are authorized up to two workdays of administrative leave for recovery per vaccination dose.
• Employees should use the EAGLE timecard code for administrative leave (LN) and reason code (23 – disease/virus prevention) for time spent obtaining the vaccine or for time off for recovery.

The DLA Coronavirus Coordination Team (CCT) will continue to provide the most up-to-date info possible as the federal courts make decisions and government agencies, including DoD, update policies and procedures.

Questions or concerns can be directed to your servicing DLA Human Resources Services office: https://www.dla.mil/Careers/Contact/, or you can write to askhr@dla.mil and your message will be forwarded to your servicing DLA Human Resources Customer Account Manager (CAM).

Warfighter Always!

SHARYN J. SAUNDERS
Director
DLA Human Resources

(*Note: This message was issued on February 09, 2022, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA All Hands,

Booster Info

With case numbers and hospitalization rates from the Omicron variant beginning to drop in some areas, many of us are breathing a sigh of relief. However, the best way to protect yourself and those around you from future variants remains vaccination and boosters as appropriate!

If you are fully vaccinated, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) strongly recommends a booster shot if:

• You are 12+ and received your second Pfizer-BioNTech shot more than five months ago,
• You are age 18+ years and received a second Moderna shot more than five months ago or
• You received a J&J/Janssen shot more than two months ago.

Most adults 18+, regardless of which vaccine they first received, should get Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna (mRNA vaccines) for their booster dose.

CDC data now shows the risk of dying from COVID-19 is 14 times higher for unvaccinated individuals than for individuals who have had the initial vaccine series, and 97 times higher for people who are unvaccinated than those who are fully vaccinated and have received a booster dose.

Policy Updates

The DLA COVID-19 Coordination Team (CCT) continues to work through changes in policy and guidance due to the nationwide injunction against implementation and enforcement of Executive Order 14043, Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees.

One immediate change involves time off allowed to obtain a vaccine. When vaccination was required, employees were authorized to obtain a vaccine on duty time. Due to the preliminary nationwide injunction, DLA employees are authorized to use up to four hours of administrative leave for any COVID-19 vaccination dose. This includes time spent traveling to the vaccination location, completing a vaccination dose, and then returning to work. The four hours of administrative leave covers vaccines administered by any source, including DoD, federal, state, and local government organizations, or private health care providers and commercial pharmacies, such as Walgreens, CVS, etc. Employees should use the EAGLE timecard code for administrative leave (LN) and reason code (23 – disease/virus prevention) for time spent obtaining a vaccine.

Please also keep in mind the injunction only applies to vaccination. All other COVID safety measures – including guidance on protocols related to masking, distancing, travel, testing, and quarantine – remain in place.

Vaccination Status Reporting

Some workplace safety practices such as testing, masking, distancing, and travel, may be dependent on whether or not an employee is vaccinated. For these safety and health reasons, and even with the injunction, federal agencies must require documentation from employees to prove vaccination, even if an employee has previously attested to their vaccination status.

Employees who receive an initial vaccine dose or complete a vaccine series are still required to update the DLA COVID-19 Documentation System. The system is offline for a routine update and is expected to be available by Feb. 14, 2022. As a reminder, when the system is back online, new employees or employees whose vaccination status has changed are required to update the system in a timely manner. Also advise your supervisor once updated, so they can verify the information for reporting purposes.

Details of workplace practices and policies are available on the DLA Coronavirus Information Page.

We will continue to provide the most up-to-date info possible as the federal courts make decisions and government agencies, including DoD, update policies and procedures.

Questions or concerns can be directed to your servicing DLA Human Resources Services office: https://www.dla.mil/Careers/Contact/, or you can write to askhr@dla.mil and your message will be forwarded to your servicing DLA Human Resources Customer Account Manager (CAM).

Warfighter Always!

SHARYN J. SAUNDERS
Director
DLA Human Resources

(*Note: This message was issued on January 25, 2022, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA All Hands,

You may have heard a federal judge issued an injunction against further implementation of Executive Order 14043, Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. DLA leaders and the agency’s COVID Coordination Team (CCT) are aware of the order and are awaiting further guidance from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Department of Defense (DoD).

To comply with the preliminary nationwide injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, DLA has paused implementation and enforcement of the COVID-19 vaccination requirement. DLA has also paused processing and adjudicating requests for vaccine exemptions based on medical or religious grounds.

The preliminary injunction applies only to the vaccine mandate. All other guidance on safety protocols based on vaccination status – including guidance on protocols related to masking, distancing, travel, testing, and quarantine – remains in effect.

Thank you for your continued professionalism as we work through this fluid situation and implement all applicable guidelines and safety protocols.

Questions or concerns can be directed to your servicing DLA Human Resources Services office: https://www.dla.mil/Careers/Contact/, or you can write to askhr@dla.mil and your message will be forwarded to your servicing DLA Human Resources Customer Account Manager (CAM).

Warfighter Always!

SHARYN J. SAUNDERS
Director
DLA Human Resources

(*Note: This message was issued on January 21, 2022, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Teammates,

As we head into the third year of pandemic conditions, it might be easy to get complacent and let your guard down. Please don’t. We’re still averaging nearly 2,000 American deaths a day from COVID-19, mostly among individuals who are not fully vaccinated.

Get Vaccinated and Boosted

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), someone who is unvaccinated has a 20 times greater risk of dying from COVID-19 than someone who is fully vaccinated and has received a booster dose. The federal government website Vaccines.gov provides a trove of information about vaccines and boosters, including where to find one near you.

• If unvaccinated, Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna (mRNA vaccines) are recommended.
• If you are moderately or severely immunocompromised, find out more about getting an additional primary dose.
• If you are fully vaccinated, booster shots are strongly recommended if:
  • You are 12+ and received your second Pfizer-BioNTech shot more than five months ago
  • You are age 18+ years and received a second Moderna shot more than five months ago and
  • You received a J&J/Janssen shot more than two months ago
• Most adults 18+, regardless of which vaccine they first received, should get Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna (mRNA vaccines) for their booster dose.
• The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is the only booster available to anyone ages 12-17.
• Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines are now available for children ages 5–11 years.
• There’s still time to get a flu vaccine if you haven’t yet this season. You can get a flu vaccine at the same time as a COVID-19 vaccine.

Vaccination Status Reporting

All employees are required to update the DLA COVID-19 Documentation System.  If you are a new employee or your vaccination status has changed, ensure you timely update the system. Also advise your supervisor once updated, so they can verify the information for reporting purposes.

Free Test Kits

Every household in the United States is eligible to order four free at-⁠home COVID-⁠19 tests from the U.S. government. Orders will usually ship through the U.S. Postal service in 7-12 days. Order the free tests for your household at CovidTests.gov. This website also contains resources to help if you need a COVID-⁠19 test now, are looking for another type of COVID-⁠19 test, or need more than four tests.

Exemptions and Enforcement

The only exception to the vaccination requirement for federal employees is for individuals who have received a legally required exemption for medical or religious reasons or who have submitted such a request and are awaiting a final answer. DLA is adjudicating and issuing decisions for vaccine exemption requests.

Employees who have not yet complied with the vaccination requirement are subject to disciplinary action, up to and including removal.

Mask Recommendations

The CDC recently updated its mask guidelines to recommend wearing the most protective mask you can that fits well and that you will wear consistently. The guidelines explain that well-fitting masks approved by the National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) – such as N95 masks – offer the highest level of protection against transmission of COVID-19. International versions, including KN95 masks, also provide a higher level of protection than cloth masks. The CDC has published a fact sheet on how to properly put on and take off a disposable respirator.

While an N95-type mask is not mandatory, all service members, federal employees, onsite contractors, and visitors must wear a mask while indoors on installations or other DoD facilities in areas of substantial or high community transmission. Substantial or high community transmission is reported by county on the CDC COVID Data Tracker website. Individuals who are not fully vaccinated must also continue to maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet where possible.

Keep up the great work!

Thank you for continuing to be engaged in ensuring we each are protecting ourselves and our families, and thereby our communities, from the virus. I know pandemic fatigue might be setting in for some of us, but adhering to the published guidelines and following basic safety and wellness practices – consistent masking, handwashing, social distancing, and staying home if we’re experiencing any symptoms or have been exposed – will help keep all of us, our co-workers, and our families safe.

Questions or concerns can be directed to your servicing DLA Human Resources Services office: https://www.dla.mil/Careers/Contact/, or you can write to askhr@dla.mil and your message will be forwarded to your servicing DLA Human Resources Customer Account Manager (CAM).

Warfighter Always!

SHARYN J. SAUNDERS
Director
DLA Human Resources

(*Note: This message was issued on January 14, 2022, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Team,

DoD has issued a new iteration of Force Health Protection Guidance that provides more straightforward instructions for various situations, such as how long an employee should isolate after a positive test or close exposure, and encompasses the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding the Omicron variant.

Workplace Access

Effective immediately, the following guidelines apply. In some cases, the information below includes slight adjustments from earlier versions of DoD guidance, so please read carefully.

• Personnel who have signs or symptoms consistent with COVID-19 ( e.g., fever, cough, or shortness of breath) will notify their commander or supervisor and stay home. Personnel who develop any signs or symptoms consistent with COVID-19 during the workday must immediately distance from other workers, wear a face mask (if they are not already wearing one), notify their supervisor, and promptly leave the workplace.
• Regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status, DoD personnel who test positive for COVID-19 will remain out of the workplace for five calendar days. Individuals may return to the workplace after five calendar days, if either: (1) they have no symptoms; or (2) if they have no fever for more than 24 hours and any remaining symptoms are resolving. Mask wearing must continue in the workplace for an additional five calendar days, even in circumstances in which mask wearing is not required by any other DoD guidance.
• Personnel with potential exposure to COVID-19 based on close contact with a person who has a laboratory confirmed, clinically diagnosed, or presumptive case will notify their commander or supervisor. Close contact is defined as someone who was within 6 feet of a person who has contracted COVID-19 for a cumulative total of l5 minutes or more over a 24-hour period starting from two days before illness onset (or for asymptomatic patients, two days prior to test specimen collection), regardless of whether either individual was wearing a mask.
• Asymptomatic personnel with potential exposure to COVID-19 based on close contact who: (1) are unvaccinated or (2) have not received a recommended COVID-19 booster dose when eligible will remain out of the workplace for five calendar days. Regardless of vaccination status, asymptomatic personnel with potential exposure to COVID-19 based on close contact must wear a mask in the workplace for 10 calendar days from the date of their last close contact with someone with COVID-19, even if mask wearing is not otherwise required by DoD guidance.

Reminder of Basic Health/Safety Practices

Please keep in mind the guidelines listed above and basic safety practices are mandatory in DoD/DLA workplaces, but they are also common sense outside the workplace. Being fully vaccinated, receiving a booster when eligible, and practicing the following tips are the best ways to keep you and your family members safe and healthy.

• Wear a mask: Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, everyone 2 years or older should wear a mask in indoor public places in areas experiencing high community transmission. Click here to check the community transmission rate in your county.
• Maintain physical distance: When possible, stay 6 feet away from others outside your household.
• Avoid crowds and poorly ventilated spaces: Being in crowded places like restaurants, bars, fitness centers, or movie theaters puts you at higher risk for COVID-19.
• Wash your hands often: Use soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• Monitor health daily: Watch for fever, cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19.

Update on Vaccine Exemption Requests

The only exception to the vaccination requirement for federal employees is for individuals who have received a legally required exemption for medical or religious reasons or who have submitted such a request and are awaiting a final answer. DLA has begun adjudicating vaccine exemption requests through a centralized agency process. Supervisors are relaying decisions to individual employees. As a reminder, any employee whose exemption request is denied has two weeks to receive the first dose of a two-dose vaccination series or the single dose of a one-dose vaccine.

Thank you for reading these updates carefully. Pandemic safety is a complicated topic, and the science has evolved rapidly. The DLA COVID-19 Coordination Team (CCT) will continue reviewing the latest guidance from DoD and other federal organizations, developing recommendations to DLA leaders based on that guidance, and providing the most complete information possible to DLA employees.

Questions or concerns can be directed to your servicing DLA Human Resources Services office: https://www.dla.mil/Careers/Contact/, or you can write to askhr@dla.mil and your message will be forwarded to your servicing DLA Human Resources Customer Account Manager (CAM).

Warfighter Always!

SHARYN J. SAUNDERS
Director
DLA Human Resources

(*Note: This message was issued on January 4, 2022, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA All Hands,

I hope you all enjoyed a safe and healthy holiday period. As we reengage in the new year, it is important to understand the COVID situation has changed dramatically over the past few weeks, with case numbers and test positivity rates rising significantly both in the United States and overseas. Please review the information below carefully. Focusing on health and safety will help us maintain our operations while protecting our workforce and families. 

Vaccine boosters

A Dec. 17 memo from the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness recommends vaccine booster doses for fully vaccinated individuals over 18 years of age if you:

• Have completed the primary Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine series (i.e., received the second dose of the vaccine) more than six months ago, or;
• Have received a primary dose of the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine more than two months ago.

Vaccines, to include a vaccine booster, remain the most effective means to protect against serious disease, hospitalization and death from any COVID-19 variant. If you have not yet been vaccinated or have not obtained a booster and wish to do so to protect against the spreading Omicron variant, you can find a vaccination site near you by searching vaccines.gov, texting your ZIP code to 438829, or calling 1-800-232-0233. DoD civilian employees are also eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at any DoD vaccination site, including military medical treatment facilities. Overseas employees and family members should contact their nearest military treatment facility.

At this time, there is no requirement for federal employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose. As a booster is not mandatory for federal employees, there is no requirement or capability to record booster shots in the DLA COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System.

Basic safety practices

It is critical for all of us to continue practicing basic COVID safety measures, such as frequent handwashing, mask wearing, and maintaining physical distancing where possible. If you recently traveled or gathered with friends and family from outside your household, an at-home rapid test or test obtained through a medical provider or pharmacy in your local community is a smart way to know if you are carrying the virus even if you are asymptomatic. Above all, if you have a positive test result or are experiencing any symptoms associated with COVID-19 infection, do not come into the workplace, and contact your supervisor. Symptoms associated with the rapidly circulating Omicron variant might be slightly different from earlier versions of the disease, so please review the latest information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Updated guidance on isolation with a positive case/close contact exposure

Force Health Protection Guidance (Supplement 15) Revision 3, issued Dec. 30, 2021, outlines actions to take after an individual tests positive for COVID-19. DLA personnel required to report to a DLA or DoD worksite must follow the guidelines listed here. The information in Attachment 1 is very detailed and addresses several scenarios. Highlights are provided below, but please refer to the original guidance for complete details.

• Individuals who test positive – Regardless of vaccination status, an individual with a positive test result must isolate and follow the guidelines below:
  • Stay isolated for five days (day 0 is the day of specimen collection).
  • May leave isolation after five days, if no symptoms are present or if no fever is present for more than 24 hours and any remaining symptoms are resolving.
  • Continue mask wearing for five days after leaving isolation when around others.
  • If fever, shortness of breath, or severe fatigue start or persist, stay isolated until these symptoms resolve.
     
• Close contact with a positive case – Close contact is defined as someone who was within 6 feet of a person who has contracted COVID-19 for a cumulative total of l5 minutes or more over a 24-hour period starting from two days before illness onset (or for asymptomatic patients, two days prior to test specimen collection), regardless of whether either individual was wearing a mask.
  • When the close contact has been vaccinated with an FDA-licensed or -authorized COVID-l9 vaccine, quarantine is required unless the individual has: (l) received an FDA-licensed or -authorized COVID-19 booster dose; or (2) it has been less than six months since completion of the primary series with an mRNA vaccine (i.e., Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty or Moderna); or (3) it has been less than two months since receiving a Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine dose as a primary vaccination. Regardless of vaccination status, close contacts must wear a mask around others for 10 days, even if mask wearing is not otherwise required by DoD guidance, and if practical, test between the third and fifth days following exposure. If symptoms develop, then the individual must get tested and isolate until test results are complete.
  • Close contact individuals who are not fully vaccinated must quarantine for five days. The individual should wear a mask at all times when around other individuals, regardless of vaccination status. Testing should occur between three and five days after exposure, if practical. If no symptoms develop, quarantine may end after five days, but the individual must continue to wear a mask around others for an additional five days (i.e., masks must be worn for a total of 10 days after exposure, to include the time in quarantine). If any symptoms develop at any time, the individual should be tested for COVID-19 and advised to isolate.

Updated vaccination status

Please update the DLA COVID-19 Documentation System if your vaccination status has recently changed. Be sure to advise your supervisor once an update in the tool has been made so they can verify the information for reporting purposes.

Questions or concerns can be directed to your servicing DLA Human Resources Services office: https://www.dla.mil/Careers/Contact/, or you can write to askhr@dla.mil and your message will be forwarded to your servicing DLA Human Resources Customer Account Manager (CAM).

I am looking forward to a safe, healthy, and productive 2022 for the DLA family.

Happy New Year and Warfighter Always!

SHARYN J. SAUNDERS
Director
DLA Human Resources

(*Note: This message was issued on December 08, 2021, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Team,
Federal officials continue to provide updated guidance, recommendations, and information on how best to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic and protect our health and wellness during the pandemic. Please review the information below carefully.

Delayed enforcement:

The only exception to the vaccination requirement is for individuals who have received a legally required exemption for medical or religious reasons or who have submitted such a request and are awaiting a final answer. 

The Office and Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) have released guidance to federal agencies to delay the enforcement of the COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement until January 2022 – specifically, to hold off on issuing adverse actions (i.e. suspension from duty, removal from federal service) for most, but not all employees, until the new year.

While the delay provides employees who have not yet complied with the vaccination requirement additional time before enforcement begins, it is not intended to relieve employees of the requirement. Employees who have not yet complied with the vaccination requirement will receive or have already received a Letter of Warning cautioning them of the consequences of non-compliance. Continued non-compliance will subject employees to disciplinary action, up to and including removal, starting in January 2022.  As mentioned above, the January 2022 enforcement delay applies to most but, not all employees. Employees on probationary or trial periods are an exception to the January 2022 enforcement delay, and terminations may begin immediately.

Mandatory reporting:

All DLA civilian employees are required to provide their vaccination status in the DLA COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System. The exception to this reporting requirement is employees on long-term leave (e.g. military leave, worker’s comp, seasonal employees, medical leave, etc.). Regardless whether or not an employee is in compliance with the vaccination requirement, the most current status must be provided in the DLA COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System. The requirement to provide vaccination status is a separate mandate from the vaccination requirement itself, and its enforcement will not be delayed. Failure to comply with the requirement to provide vaccination status in the DLA COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System may result in an immediate disciplinary action, up to and including removal from federal service. 

Booster recommendation:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now recommend that everyone age 18 and older get a booster shot. This is a change from earlier recommendations regarding boosters. At this time, there is no requirement for federal employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose. Employees are considered fully vaccinated for purposes of the vaccine mandate two weeks after they have received the requisite number of doses of a COVID-19 vaccine approved or authorized for emergency use. For Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or AstraZeneca/Oxford, that is two weeks after an employee has received the second dose in a two-dose series. For Johnson and Johnson (J&J)/Janssen, that is two weeks after an employee has received a single-dose.

As a booster is not mandatory for federal employees, there is accordingly no requirement, nor the capability, to record booster shots in the DLA COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System.

Employees are authorized up to four hours of administrative leave to receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot and up to two days of administrative leave for recovery if they experience adverse effects from a booster.

To find a COVID-19 vaccine near you, search vaccines.gov, text your ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233 to find locations near you. DoD civilian employees are also eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at any DoD vaccination site, including military medical treatment facilities. Overseas employees and family members should contact their nearest military treatment facility.

Other important reminders:

• Vaccinations are the best way to protect our valued employees from this deadly virus and continue to meet our critical mission requirements for America’s warfighters.
• If your vaccination status changes (e.g., you were partially vaccinated and then subsequently receive a required second dose) you must update your information in the DLA COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System.
• Employees may receive up to four hours of administrative leave per dose to accompany a family member to obtain a COVID-19 vaccination. Employees should obtain advance approval from their supervisor before using administrative leave for this purpose.
• The DLA COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System allows DLA employees who have provided proof of vaccination to generate a DD Form 3175, DoD Civilian Employee Certification of Vaccination. DoD employees visiting other DoD or federal government installations or facilities may be required to provide this form ahead of time or upon entry. Instructions for generating this form through the system are available in the Employee User Guide.
• Earlier messages, guidance summaries, and an in-depth FAQ are available on the DLA Coronavirus Information Page.

Questions or concerns can be directed to your servicing DLA Human Resources Services office: https://www.dla.mil/Careers/Contact/, or you can write to askhr@dla.mil and your message will be forwarded to your servicing DLA Human Resources Customer Account Manager (CAM).

Warfighter Always!

SHARYN J. SAUNDERS
Director
DLA Human Resources

(*Note: This message was issued on December 03, 2021, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Team,

Let me start out by thanking the 98.5% of our civilian employees who have reported their COVID-19 vaccination status in the DLA COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System. My message to the small number of you who haven’t completed this reporting requirement is you must do so immediately to avoid adverse actions such as letters of counseling and reprimand. Further enforcement actions, up to and including suspension and removal, may be initiated on or after Jan. 1, 2022, for employees who fail to comply with the vaccine mandate or submit documentation to show that they have received the required vaccination dose(s) or that they have submitted an exemption request. Individuals who have requested exemptions must still complete the reporting requirements in the DLA COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System and select the option to indicate they have a request pending.

New Guidance on Vaccine Boosters: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now recommend that everyone age 18 and older get a booster shot.

• If you received the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine, you should get a booster of any of the vaccines authorized in the United States at least six months after completing your primary COVID-19 vaccination series.
• If you received Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine, you should get a booster of any of the vaccines authorized in the United States at least two months after completing your primary COVID-19 vaccination.
• You may choose which COVID-19 vaccine you receive as a booster shot. Some people may prefer the vaccine type that they originally received, and others may prefer to get a different booster. CDC’s recommendations now allow for this type of mix and match dosing for booster shots.
• Employees are authorized up to four hours of administrative leave to receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot and up to two days of administrative leave for recovery if they experience adverse effects from a booster
• To find a COVID-19 vaccine near you, search vaccines.gov, text your ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233 to find locations near you. DoD civilian employees are also eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at any DoD vaccination site, including military medical treatment facilities. Overseas employees and family members should contact their nearest military treatment facility.

Other important reminders:

• Vaccinations are the best way to protect our valued employees from this deadly virus and continue to meet our critical mission requirements for America’s warfighters.
• If your vaccination status changes (e.g., you were partially vaccinated and then subsequently receive a required second dose) you must update your information in the DLA COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System.
• Employees may receive up to four hours of administrative leave per dose to accompany a family member to obtain a COVID-19 vaccination. Employees should obtain advance approval from their supervisor before using administrative leave for this purpose.
• The DLA COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System allows DLA employees who have provided proof of vaccination to generate a DD Form 3175, DoD Civilian Employee Certification of Vaccination. DoD employees visiting other DoD or federal government installations or facilities may be required to provide this form ahead of time or upon entry. Instructions for generating this form through the system are available in the Employee User Guide.
• Earlier messages, guidance summaries, and an in-depth FAQ are available on the DLA Coronavirus Information Page.

Questions or concerns can be directed to your servicing DLA Human Resources Services office: https://www.dla.mil/Careers/Contact/, or you can write to askhr@dla.mil and your message will be forwarded to your servicing DLA Human Resources Customer Account Manager (CAM).

Warfighter Always!

SHARYN J. SAUNDERS
Director
DLA Human Resources

(*Note: This message was issued on November 22, 2021, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Team,

Today is the deadline for federal civilian employees to be fully vaccinated. Because fully vaccinated means two weeks past the last dose of vaccine, all employees must have received the last dose of a two-dose vaccine or required single dose by Nov. 8, 2021. Employees who are not fully vaccinated as of today are subject to disciplinary measures, up to and including removal from federal service.

The only exception is for individuals who have received a legally required exemption for medical or religious reasons or who have submitted such a request and are awaiting a final answer. Additional DoD guidance is expected, after which DLA will begin processing exemption requests submitted.  Information on exemptions for DLA employees is available at: https://www.dla.mil/EEO/Offers/Coronavirus-Answers/. 

Any DLA civilian employee who hasn’t already done so must log into and provide the information required in the DLA COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System. To date, 98% of DLA civilian employees have completed this reporting requirement. This applies to DLA civilian employees only; service members' vaccination status will be validated utilizing their service-specific Individual Medical Readiness (IMR) system.

Per DoD guidance, weekly COVID-19 testing will be required for any DoD civilian employees who report to a DoD worksite and are not fully vaccinated, including those who have medical or religious exemptions. We anticipate the DLA testing program will begin in early December.

Federal government leaders issued this vaccine mandate to protect the health and safety of the federal workforce and to promote the efficiency of the civil service. Additional resources, references, and a detailed FAQ are available on the DLA Coronavirus Information Site.

Warfighter Always!

SHARYN J. SAUNDERS
Director
DLA Human Resources

(*Note: This message was issued on November 17, 2021, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Civilian Employees,

A Nov. 17, 2021, Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) email to employees in agencies serviced by DFAS stated that employees must report vaccination status by completing a DD Form 3175 in the MilConnect system; THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO DLA EMPLOYEES and may lead to some confusion.

Bottom line for DLA civilian employees, the DLA COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System takes the place of MilConnect to meet Department of Defense (DoD) vaccine reporting requirements.  If you haven’t already, all employees must log into and provide the information required in the DLA COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System. For civilian employees, this DLA-specific reporting system is in lieu of other DoD requirements to report vaccination data in the MilConnect system.

If you have problems accessing the DLA documentation system, email DLA.HR.Systems.Help@dla.mil. Other questions or concerns can be directed to your servicing DLA Human Resources Services office: https://www.dla.mil/Careers/Contact/, or you can write to askhr@dla.mil and your message will be forwarded to your servicing DLA Human Resources Customer Account Manager (CAM).

Other important reminders:

• Military members should not use this DLA reporting tool as they are required to comply with service mandates.
• Once the questions are answered and documentation is uploaded into the reporting system, employees should notify their supervisor they have completed these requirements. The supervisor will then validate that the proof of vaccination provided meets the specifications listed above. Employee and supervisor user guides are available within the system.
• If your vaccination status changes (e.g., you were partially vaccinated and then subsequently receive a required second dose) you must update your information in the DLA COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System.
• Employees are authorized up to four hours of administrative leave to receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot. Similarly, immunocompromised employees or those with a serious medical condition are authorized up to four hours of administrative leave to receive an additional dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
• Employees may receive up to four hours of administrative leave per dose to accompany a family member to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine. Employees should obtain advance approval from their supervisor before using administrative leave for this purpose.
• Per DoD guidance, weekly COVID-19 testing will be required for any DoD civilian employees who report to a DoD worksite and are not fully vaccinated, including those who have medical or religious exemptions. This requirement will go into effect on or after Nov. 22, 2021. DLA is developing specifics of an agency-wide testing program, and details will be available as soon as possible.
• The DLA Coronavirus Information Site provides a comprehensive list of FAQs, guidance summaries, and links to COVID-19 information and references from DoD, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other federal agencies.

Exemption requests: DLA will consider requests for exemptions due to medical conditions and religious exemptions that are legally required. The forms for submitting requests, as well as the list of vaccine mailboxes and guidance for submission to your servicing Disability Program Coordinator (DPC), can be found at: https://www.dla.mil/EEO/Offers/Coronavirus-Answers/. DoD guidance is anticipated later this month. DLA will begin adjudicating submitted requests when that guidance is received. Individuals who have requested exemptions must still complete the reporting requirements in the DLA COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System and select the option to indicate they have a request pending.

Thank you to all the DLA employees and supervisors who met these critical vaccination and reporting requirements in a timely manner. To date, more than 97% of Team DLA has provided their status in the DLA COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System. Employees who have not met this requirement, must do so as soon as possible to avoid potential adverse actions, up to and including removal from federal service.

Across DoD, more than 71,000 civilian employees have contracted COVID-19, and more than 360 have died from COVID-19-related complications. Vaccinations are the best way to protect our valued employees from this deadly virus and continue to meet our critical mission requirements for America’s warfighters.

Warfighter Always!

SHARYN J. SAUNDERS
Director
DLA Human Resources

(*Note: This message was issued on November 12, 2021, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Team,

We have now passed the initial deadline of Nov. 8, 2021, for civilian employees to receive the last dose of a two-dose vaccine (or required single dose of a one-dose vaccine) and update their vaccination status in the DLA COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System. To avoid potential adverse actions, up to and including removal from federal service, employees must meet the requirements outlined below as soon as possible. 

• DLA COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System: Any DLA civilian employee who hasn’t already done so must log into and provide the information required in the DLA COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System. To date, 95% of DLA civilian employees have completed this reporting requirement. DLA Human Resources officials are assisting managers and supervisors in reaching out to anyone who has not provided the required information in the system. This applies to DLA civilian employees only; service members' vaccination status will be validated utilizing their service-specific Individual Medical Readiness (IMR) system.
  
  A new feature in the DLA COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System allows DLA employees who have provided proof of vaccination to generate a DD Form 3175, DoD Civilian Employee Certification of Vaccination. DoD employees visiting other DoD or federal government installations or facilities may be required to provide this form ahead of time or upon entry. Instructions for generating this from through the system are available in the Employee User Guide.
• Medical and Religious Exemption Requests: DLA will consider requests for exemptions due to medical conditions and religious exemptions that are legally required. The forms for submitting requests, as well as the list of vaccine mailboxes and guidance for submission to your servicing Disability Program Coordinator (DPC), can be found at: https://www.dla.mil/EEO/Offers/Coronavirus-Answers/. The section titled “Current Vaccine Exemption Information” contains updated guidance on requests that were already submitted.  You may also address questions about the exemption request process to your servicing DPC through the designated vaccine mailbox.
• Upcoming Testing Requirement: According to DoD Force Health Protection Guidance (Supplement 23) Revision 2, which was signed on Oct. 29, 2021, weekly COVID-19 testing will be required for any DoD civilian employees who are not fully vaccinated, including those who have medical or religious exemptions. This requirement will go into effect on or after Nov. 22, 2021. DLA is developing specifics of an agency-wide testing program, and details will be available as soon as possible.  DoD civilian employees who are not fully vaccinated but who telework or work remotely on a full-time basis will not be subject to weekly testing, but must provide a negative result from a test performed within the prior 72 hours for entry into a DoD facility.
• COVID-19 Booster Doses: DLA employees are authorized up to four hours of administrative leave to receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot, if they are eligible to receive such a booster shot. Similarly, immunocompromised employees or those with a serious medical condition are authorized up to four hours of administrative leave to receive an additional dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The administrative leave includes the time it takes to travel to the vaccination site, receive the vaccination dose, and return to work. Because there is currently no requirement for federal employees to receive a vaccine booster shot or additional dose, granting duty time is not allowable in these instances.
  
  In the case of booster shots, this policy may be applied retroactively to Sept. 22, 2021, when authorized booster shots became available. In the case of additional doses, this policy may be applied retroactively Aug. 12, 2021, when the FDA amended the emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to allow for the use of an additional dose in certain immunocompromised individuals.
• A few other important reminders:
  • If you have problems accessing the DLA COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System, email DLA.HR.Systems.Help@dla.mil.
  • Individuals who have requested medical or religious exemptions must still complete the questionnaire and select the option to indicate they have a request pending.
  • The data reported in the DLA COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System is safe and secure. This information system is protected by the highest DoD cloud security level aside from classified information systems.
  • DLA employees are authorized to use up to four hours of duty time to obtain each initial vaccine dose and up to two days of administrative leave for recovery if needed due to adverse effects.
  • Employees may receive up to four hours of administrative leave per dose to accompany a family member to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine. Family member is defined by OPM at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/leave-administration/fact-sheets/definitions-related-to-family-member-and-immediate-relative-for-purposes-of-sick-leave/.

Thank you to all DLA employees, supervisors, managers, and senior leaders as we continue to work through the challenging issues related to the pandemic. The health and safety of our workforce is the top priority of DLA leaders. Vaccinating our civilian employees against COVID-19 will save lives and allow us to continue supporting our important customers.

Questions or concerns can be directed to your servicing DLA Human Resources Services office: https://www.dla.mil/Careers/Contact/, or you can write to askhr@dla.mil and your message will be forwarded to your servicing DLA Human Resources Customer Account Manager (CAM).

Warfighter Always!

SHARYN J. SAUNDERS
Director
DLA Human Resources

(*Note: This message was issued on November 5, 2021, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Team,

The DLA COVID-19 Coordination Team (CCT) is providing regular email updates with information on the COVID-19 vaccination mandate. Please read the information below carefully. Questions or concerns can be directed to your servicing DLA Human Resources Services office: https://www.dla.mil/Careers/Contact/, or you can write to askhr@dla.mil and your message will be forwarded to your servicing DLA Human Resources Customer Account Manager (CAM).

If you haven’t already, all employees must log into and provide the information required in the DLA COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System, a secure and efficient method for DLA civilian employees to provide vaccination status and required proof of vaccine by Monday, Nov. 8. For civilian employees, this DLA-specific reporting system is in lieu of other DoD requirements to report vaccination data in the MilConnect system. Military members should not use this tool as they are required to comply with service mandates.

As of Friday, Nov. 5, nearly 84 percent of DLA civilian employees had completed this reporting requirement in the DLA COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System.

The DoD Force Health Protection Guidance (Supplement 23) Revision 2 was signed on Oct. 29, 2021, and includes additional information on exemptions to the COVID-19 vaccination requirement and DD Form 3176, “Request for a Medical Exemption or Delay to the COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement” and DD Form 3177, “Request for a Religious Exemption to the COVID Vaccination Requirement.”

As required by law, DLA will consider requests for exemptions due to medical conditions and religious exemptions that are legally required. The forms for submitting requests, as well as the list of vaccine mailboxes and guidance for submission to your servicing Disability Program Coordinator (DPC) can be found at: https://www.dla.mil/EEO/Offers/Coronavirus-Answers/.  Ensure you read the section that states “Current Vaccine Exemption Information,” because updated guidance on requests that were already submitted is provided.  You may also address questions about the exception request process to your servicing DPC through the designated vaccine mailbox.

A few other important reminders:

• To avoid potential adverse actions associated with failing to meet the federal government vaccine mandate, employees must complete the online input and provide proof of vaccination, no later than Nov. 8, 2021.
• If you have problems accessing the system, email DLA.HR.Systems.Help@dla.mil.
• Individuals who have requested exceptions must still complete the questionnaire and select the option to indicate they have a request pending.
• The data reported in the DLA COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System is safe and secure. This information system is protected by the highest DoD cloud security level aside from classified information systems.
• DLA employees are authorized to use up to four hours of duty time to obtain each vaccine dose and up to two days of administrative leave for recovery if needed due to adverse effects.
• Requests for exemptions must be submitted no later than November 8,2021, absent extenuating circumstances, to be considered timely.

As COVID cases start to come down in some areas and civilian jurisdictions ease access restrictions or mask mandates, please keep in mind that such requirements in DLA and other DoD facilities have not changed. All service members, federal employees, onsite contractor employees, and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, are required to wear a mask in indoor settings on DoD installations and facilities in locations with SUBSTANTIAL or HIGH community COVID-19 transmission, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

Vaccinated DLA employees are no longer required to wear masks indoors in areas with MODERATE or LOW transmission.  However, those who are not fully vaccinated must also continue to wear masks and to physically distance consistent with applicable CDC and DoD Force Health Protection guidance.

Support for DLA employees and family members is always available through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Find details online, https://www.dla.mil/Info/Resiliency/EAP.aspx, or call 866-580-9046.

Warfighter Always!

SHARYN J. SAUNDERS
Director
DLA Human Resources

(*Note: This message was issued on October 22, 2021, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Team,

This message includes important information about the requirement to provide proof of vaccination in order to meet the mandate that Executive Branch Federal employees be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by November 22, 2021. Please read the information provided below carefully.

DLA developed an automated tool, the COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System (DLA Common Access Card required), as a secure and efficient method for DLA civilian employees to provide vaccination status and required proof of vaccine. Military members should not use this tool as they are required to comply with service mandates. Guidance for contractor personnel to provide proof of vaccination is forthcoming.

This DLA-specific reporting system is in lieu of other DoD requirements to report vaccination data in the MilConnect system. DLA civilian employees must follow the instructions outlined in this message in order to meet the mandatory reporting requirement. DLA civilian employees are not required to report their vaccination status or provide proof of vaccination through the DoD MilConnect system.

Once an employee enters the DLA-specific CAC-enabled tool (DLA Common Access Card required), basic employee information will appear. Employees are required to answer the questions presented and, if vaccinated, upload proof of vaccination. Copies of any of the following may be provided as acceptable proof of vaccination:

• Record of immunization from a health care provider or pharmacy.
• COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card.
• Medical record documenting the vaccination.
• Immunization record from a public health or state immunization information system.
• Other official documentation containing required data points.

The following data must be on any official documentation:

• Employee name.
• Type of vaccine administered.
• Date(s) of administration.
• Name of the health care professional(s) or clinic site(s) administering the vaccine(s).

Employees are required to certify under penalty of perjury that the documentation they are submitting is true and correct.

Once the questions are answered and documentation is uploaded, employees should notify their supervisor they have completed these requirements. The supervisor will then validate that the proof of vaccination provided meets the specifications listed above.

Click the following links for the appropriate user guides:

• Employee user guide (DLA Common Access Card required)
• Supervisor user guide (DLA Common Access Card required)

A few other important details:

• Employee vaccination data will be retained in a secure repository set at the highest level of security outside of an assigned “classified” designation.
• Employees are strongly encouraged to complete the online input and provide proof of vaccination as soon as possible and no later than November 8, 2021, to avoid potential adverse actions associated with failing to meet the federal government vaccine mandate
• There is a help link at the bottom of each page within the application with an email to contact if you have problems with the system.
• Individuals who have requested exceptions must still complete the questionnaire and select the option to indicate they have a request pending.
• Employees can change their answers as often as needed if their personal vaccination status changes. However, once the supervisor has validated the info, the supervisor must then invalidate it before the employee can make a change. The supervisor must then revalidate after a change is made.
• The new COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System is not the same system as and is not compatible with the earlier DLA Vaccine Self-Reporting Tool. Even if you had voluntarily provided info via the previous tool, you must still meet the requirement to answer the questions and provide proof of vaccination through the COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation System (DLA Common Access Card required).

DLA Human Resources (J1) and DLA Information Operations (J6) designed this system to be easy to use and secure and to provide an Enterprise standard for this crucial piece of data collection.

You can always find COVID-19 information, policy references, and FAQs on the DLA Coronavirus Information site. Additional questions or concerns can be directed to your servicing DLA Human Resources Services office: https://www.dla.mil/Careers/Contact/, or you can write to askhr@dla.mil and your message will be forwarded to your servicing DLA Human Resources Customer Account Manager (CAM).

Thank you for your continued professionalism as we work together to meet this Federal government mandate to protect our workforce, our communities, and our families.

Warfighter Always!

SHARYN J. SAUNDERS
Director
DLA Human Resources

(DLA Common Access Card required)

(*Note: This message was issued on October 13, 2021, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Team,

The DLA COVID-19 Coordination Team (CCT) is providing regular email updates with all the information you need to meet the COVID-19 vaccination mandate. We’ll be updating the guidance summaries and FAQ on the DLA Coronavirus information site as the situation evolves.

Your leaders and the CCT members are aware some DLA employees have questions, particularly regarding requesting exceptions from the mandate. This message is intended to provide as much information as we currently have available on these topics. I know this mandate has resulted in a lot of information coming out in a short amount of time. Please carefully read the information below, refer to the linked references as necessary, and reach out to your servicing DLA Human Resources Services office (https://www.dla.mil/Careers/Contact/) with additional questions.

The Safer Federal Workforce Task Force has provided extensive information regarding exception requests in online FAQs. We have adapted some of these for DLA use, updated our DLA Coronavirus Information Page, and listed highlights of some of the changes below. Please note, this is interim information pending DoD guidance.  

WHAT’S NEW:

• Determining whether an exception is legally required will include considerations of factors such as the basis for the claimed exception, an employee’s job responsibilities, and the reasonably foreseeable effects on DLA operations, including protecting other DLA employees and the public from COVID-19.
• An employee may request a medical exception.  Generally, a request for a medical exception to the COVID-19 vaccination requirement will be treated as a request for a reasonable accommodation based on a disability and will be processed in accordance with the Rehabilitation Act. 
• An employee may request a religious exception based on a sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance. A refusal to be vaccinated does not qualify for an exception if it is based upon personal preference, concerns about side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine, or political opinion.  In requesting this exception, an employee must provide the following information:
  • Please describe the nature of your objection to the COVID-19 vaccination requirement.
  • Would complying with the COVID-19 vaccination requirement substantially burden your religious exercise? If so, please explain how.
  • How long have you held the religious belief underlying your objection?
  • Please describe whether, as an adult, you have received any vaccines against any other diseases (such as a flu vaccine or a tetanus vaccine) and, if so, what vaccine you most recently received and when, to the best of your recollection.
  • If you do not have a religious objection to the use of all vaccines, please explain why your objection is limited to particular vaccines.
  • If there are any other medications or products that you do not use because of the religious belief underlying your objections, please identify them.
• The DLA CCT will issue detailed DLA-specific instructions on requesting exceptions as soon as possible. If you wish to begin the process for requesting an exception before these specific instructions are available, please visit: https://www.dla.mil/EEO/Offers/Coronavirus-Answers/.   
• Requests for exceptions should be submitted as soon as possible and no later than November 8, 2021, to avoid potential adverse actions associated with failing to meet the federal government vaccine mandate. 
• If a request for an exception is denied, an employee will have two weeks after the denial to receive their first of a two-dose vaccine or only dose of a single dose vaccine.
• An employee who receives an exception or delay in application of the vaccination mandate will be required to comply with alternative health and safety protocols, to include masking and testing. These requirements will be spelled out in future guidance.

WHAT HASN’T CHANGED:

• All federal employees must be fully vaccinated by November 22, 2021. Because fully vaccinated means two weeks past the last dose of vaccine, all employees must have received the last dose of a two-dose vaccine or required single dose by November 8, 2021. Employees who refuse to be vaccinated or provide proof of vaccination are subject to disciplinary measures, up to and including removal or termination from federal service. Given this timeline, DLA may initiate the enforcement process as soon as November 9, 2021, for employees who have not completed their vaccination dose(s) by November 8. Those who are not currently fully vaccinated must meet the following deadlines to be fully vaccinated by November 22, 2021.
  • October 11:  first dose deadline (if receiving the Moderna vaccine)
  • October 18:  first dose deadline (if receiving the Comirnaty/Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine)
  • November 8:  second dose deadline (if receiving the Moderna and Comirnaty/Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines)
  • November 8:  first (only) dose deadline (if receiving the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine).
• Employees are authorized up to four hours of duty time per vaccination event to travel to the vaccination site, receive a vaccination dose, and return to work. Employees who are eligible for boosters are authorized duty time to obtain the vaccination.
• The only exceptions to the vaccination mandate are medical and religious exceptions.
• COVID-19 vaccinations are widely available, safe, effective, and reduce the risk of severe illness. To find a vaccination site near you within the United States, search vaccines.gov, text your ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233. DoD civilian employees are also eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at any DoD vaccination site, including military medical treatment facilities. Overseas employees and family members should contact their nearest military treatment facility. Be sure to maintain a copy of the vaccination record provided at the vaccination site to meet forthcoming DoD proof of vaccination requirements.  
• DoD contractor personnel must attest to being fully vaccinated by December 8, 2021. Contractors who are not fully vaccinated will be required to present a recent negative COVID-19 test as a condition of physical access to a DoD facility. Expect further guidance on this requirement as it becomes available. Specific details can be found in the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force document Guidance for Federal Contractors and Subcontractors.

We understand and acknowledge you may have questions regarding the vaccination mandate. You are encouraged to view information regarding the benefits of vaccination and ways to obtain the vaccine.  Additional questions or concerns can be directed to your servicing DLA Human Resources Services office: https://www.dla.mil/Careers/Contact/. We will continue to provide updated information whenever updates are available.

In addition, support DLA employees and family members is always available through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Find details online, https://www.dla.mil/Info/Resiliency/EAP.aspx, or call 866-580-9046.

Vaccinating DLA employees against COVID-19 will save lives and allow us to continue to support the Warfighter Always. 

SHARYN J. SAUNDERS
Director
DLA Human Resources

(*Note: This message was issued on October 5, 2021, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Team,

The DLA COVID-19 Coordination Team (CCT) is providing regular email updates with all the information you need to meet the COVID-19 vaccination mandate. The weekly messages will focus information in three areas: the basics of the situation, any new info since the last update, and a summary of issues we’re still working on. We’ll be updating the guidance summaries and FAQ on the DLA Coronavirus information site as the situation evolves.

• WHAT’S NEW:
  • New guidance from the Office of Personnel Management – Guidance on Enforcing COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement for Federal Employees- Executive Order 14043, and Guidance on Applying COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements to New Hires- Executive Order 14043 on Friday, October 1, 2021 – reiterates the November 22, 2021, date for employees to be fully vaccinated. Because fully vaccinated means two weeks past the last dose of vaccine, all employees must have received the last dose of a two-dose vaccine or required single dose by November 8, 2021. Employees who refuse to be vaccinated or provide proof of vaccination are subject to disciplinary measures, up to and including removal or termination from federal service. The only exception is for individuals who receive a legally required exception pursuant to established agency processes. Given this timeline, agencies may initiate the enforcement process as soon as November 9, 2021, for employees who have not completed their vaccination dose(s) by November 8.
  • The Safer Federal Workforce Task Force issued templates for requesting medical exemptions or religious exemptions to the vaccine mandate as part of new and updated frequently asked questions (FAQs) for vaccinations on October 1 and 4, 2021. Please note, DLA is awaiting implementing guidance on requesting exemptions from DoD and will issue DLA-specific instructions on requesting exemptions as soon as possible. However, these templates should assist employees in preparing exemption requests while we await further guidance.
  • DoD contractor personnel must attest to being fully vaccinated by December 8, 2021. Contractors who are not fully vaccinated will be required to present a recent negative COVID-19 test as a condition of physical access to a DoD facility. Expect further guidance on this requirement as it becomes available. Specific details can be found in the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force document Guidance for Federal Contractors and Subcontractors. The FAQs contain information on vaccination and safety protocols, workplaces, scope and applicability, and compliance.
  • New DoD civilian employees must be fully vaccinated by their entry on duty date or November 22, 2021, whichever is later, per the Deputy Secretary of Defense memorandum, “Mandatory Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination of DoD Civilian Employees,” dated October 1, 2021. The memorandum also states additional guidance, included procedures for processing vaccination exemption request will be published by the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness.

• WHAT HASN’T CHANGED:

• The vaccination deadline and vaccine schedule considerations remain unchanged. All federal employees must be fully vaccinated by November 22, 2021. Employees are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after completing the second dose of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine or two weeks after receiving a single dose of a one-dose COVID-19 vaccine.  Those who are not currently fully vaccinated must meet the following deadlines to be fully vaccinated by November 22, 2021. The attached flier is provided as a handy reference.

• October 11:  first dose deadline (if receiving the Moderna vaccine)
• October 18:  first dose deadline (if receiving the Comirnaty/Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine)
• November 8:  second dose deadline (if receiving the Moderna and Comirnaty/Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines)
• November 8:  first (only) dose deadline (if receiving the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine).

• Employees are authorized up to four hours of duty time per vaccination event to travel to the vaccination site, receive a vaccination dose, and return to work. Employees who are eligible for boosters are authorized duty time to obtain the vaccination.
• COVID-19 vaccinations are widely available, safe, effective, and reduce the risk of severe illness. To find a vaccination site near you within the United States, search vaccines.gov, text your ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233. DoD civilian employees are also eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at any DoD vaccination site, including military medical treatment facilities. Overseas employees and family members should contact their nearest military treatment facility. Be sure to maintain a copy of the vaccination record provided at the vaccination site to meet forthcoming DoD proof of vaccination requirements.  

• WHAT WE’RE WORKING ON:

• How to provide proof of vaccination – We know from the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force that employees will be required to provide proof of vaccination. While awaiting further DoD guidance, DLA is considering options to collect and maintain the required proof (typically the CDC vaccine record).
• How to request an exemption – As required by law, DLA will consider requests for exemptions due to medical conditions or sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance. The most recent DoD memo indicated additional guidance on legally required exceptions will be forthcoming. As noted above, this will be clearly communicated to the entire workforce as soon as possible.
• Consequences for non-compliance – Employees who fail to comply with this vaccination mandate may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including removal. The Safer Federal Workforce Task Force issued guidance on the steps an agency may take if a federal employee refuses to be vaccinated or provide proof of vaccination. However, DLA continues to wait on DoD guidance for further direction.

We understand and acknowledge you may have questions regarding the vaccination mandate.  You are encouraged to view information regarding the benefits of vaccination and ways to obtain the vaccine.  Once we receive additional guidance, we will be able to better respond to some of your questions.

Vaccinating DLA employees against COVID-19 will save lives and allow us to continue to support the Warfighter Always. 

SHARYN J. SAUNDERS
Director
DLA Human Resources
 

(*Note: This message was issued on September 28, 2021, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Team,

To support our commitment to Warfighter Always, we need a healthy and ready DLA force.  The Secretary of Defense previously directed mandatory vaccination of Service members against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).  On September 9, 2021, the President of the United States directed mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for all federal employees to ensure the health and safety of the federal workforce and members of the public with whom they interact, subject to limited exceptions as required by law. 

To that end, the DLA COVID-19 Coordination Team (CCT) will be providing regular email updates with all the info you need to meet this mandate. These messages will focus info in three areas: the basics of the situation, any new info since the last update, and a summary of issues we’re still working on. We’ll be updating the guidance summaries and FAQ on the DLA Coronavirus information site as the situation evolves.

• WHAT WE KNOW:
  • All federal employees must be fully vaccinated by November 22, 2021. Employees are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after completing the second dose of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine or two weeks after receiving a single dose of a one-dose COVID-19 vaccine.  Those who are not currently fully vaccinated must meet the following deadlines to be fully vaccinated by November 22, 2021:

• October 11:  first dose deadline (if receiving the Moderna vaccine)
• October 18:  first dose deadline (if receiving the Comirnaty/Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine)
• November 8:  second dose deadline (if receiving the Moderna and Comirnaty/Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines)
• November 8:  first (only) dose deadline (if receiving the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine).

• Vaccines must be either fully licensed or authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (e.g., Comirnaty/Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson/Janssen); listed for emergency use on the World Health Organization Emergency Use Listing (e.g., AstraZeneca/Oxford); or an approved clinical trial vaccine for which vaccine efficacy has been independently confirmed (e.g., Novavax).  Those with previous COVID-19 infection(s) are not considered fully vaccinated on that basis. 

• COVID-19 vaccinations are widely available, safe, effective, and reduce the risk of severe illness. DoD civilian employees are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at any DoD vaccination sites, including military medical treatment facilities.  You may also find a vaccination site near you within the United States, search vaccines.gov, text your ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233. Overseas employees and family members should contact their nearest military treatment facility (MTF). Employees will need to maintain a copy of the vaccination record provided by all vaccination sites to meet forthcoming DoD proof of vaccination requirements.    

• WHAT’S NEW:
  • DLA authorizes employees up to four hours of duty time to obtain each vaccination dose. It is no longer necessary to request administrative leave to obtain a vaccination.
  • Employees may still receive up to two days of administrative leave for recovery if needed due to adverse effects. 
  • Employees may also receive up to four hours of administrative leave to accompany a family member who is obtaining a COVID-19 vaccination.  
  • New DLA civilian employees must be fully vaccinated by their entry on duty (start) date or November 22, 2021, whichever is later. 

• WHAT WE’RE WORKING ON:

• How to provide proof of vaccination – We know from the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force that employees will be required to provide proof of vaccination. While awaiting further DoD guidance, DLA is considering options to collect and maintain the required proof (typically the CDC vaccine record).
• How to request an exemption – As required by law, DLA will consider requests for exemptions due to medical conditions or sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance. The Safer Federal Workforce guidance indicated additional guidance on legally required exceptions will be forthcoming. This will be clearly communicated to the entire workforce as soon as possible.
• Consequences for non-compliance – Employees who fail to comply with this vaccination mandate may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including removal.  Similar to other topics, forthcoming OPM and DoD guidance may offer additional information related to steps an agency may take if a federal employee refuses to be vaccinated or provide proof of vaccination. Once received, this will also be communicated to the workforce.

We understand and acknowledge you may have questions regarding the vaccination mandate.  You are encouraged to view information regarding the benefits of vaccination and ways to obtain the vaccine.  Once we receive additional guidance, we will be able to better respond to some of your questions.

Vaccinating DLA employees against COVID-19 will save lives and allow us to continue to support the Warfighter Always. 

Thank you for your focus on this critical mission.

SHARYN J. SAUNDERS
Director
DLA Human Resources

(*Note: This message was issued on September 17, 2021, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Team,

Executive Order (EO) 14043, dated September 9, 2021, states all Federal Executive Branch employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The Safer Federal Workforce Task Force issued new frequently asked questions and updated guidance to its “COVID-19 Workplace Safety: Agency Model Safety Principles,” which states all Federal employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by November 22, 2021.  This mandate applies to all Federal employees, even those working offsite, other than in limited circumstances where the law requires an exception. Employees who fail to comply with this vaccination mandate may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including removal.

“Fully vaccinated” means at least two (2) weeks after receipt of the requisite number of doses of a COVID-19 vaccine approved or authorized for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration or for emergency use by the World Health Organization (e.g., Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca/Oxford, or Johnson & Johnson).  Thus, in order to be fully vaccinated, an employee must have received the last dose of their vaccine (or only dose if the vaccine is Johnson & Johnson) no later than November 8, 2021 in order to meet the November 22, 2021 deadline.  

DLA continues to wait for additional implementing instructions from the Department of Defense on the mandate for civilian employees.  As soon as more information is available, we will share it with you.

COVID-19 vaccinations are widely available, safe, effective, and reduce the risk of severe illness. To find a vaccination site near you within the United States, search vaccines.gov, text your ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233. Overseas employees and family members should contact their nearest military treatment facility (MTF). Until further guidance is received, DLA continues to authorize employees up to four hours of administrative leave per COVID-19 vaccination during work hours, and additional time may be granted for recovery as needed.

To be clear, although we are awaiting additional guidance, the mandated date for all DLA employees to be fully vaccinated is November 22, 2021.

Warfighter Always!

Billie W. Keeler
Acting Director, DLA Human Resources
Defense Logistics Agency

(*Note: This message was issued on September 10, 2021, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Team,

You’ve no doubt heard via media reports that President Biden yesterday announced a plan to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for all federal executive branch employees. The plan also extends this requirement to employees of contractors that do business with the federal government. Full details are available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/covidplan/.

In late August, Secretary of Defense Austin implemented a COVID-19 vaccination mandate for Service Members using vaccines that have received full licensure by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The military services are imposing ambitious timelines to ensure their members are vaccinated, and DLA is working to ensure assigned military members meet their respective service mandates.

Currently, we are awaiting implementation instructions on the mandate for civilian employees from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Department of Defense (DoD). As soon as more information is available, we will share it with DLA leaders and the entire workforce.

In the meantime, COVID-19 vaccinations are available at more than 80,000 locations nationwide, with many retail pharmacies offering walk-in appointments, and there is no charge for these vaccines.

This action is being taken as a further step to protect the federal workforce and our important missions. To find a vaccination site near you within the United States, search vaccines.gov, text your ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233. Overseas employees and family members should contact their nearest military treatment facility (MTF). DLA employees are authorized up to four hours of administrative leave per COVID-19 vaccination during work hours, and additional time may be granted for recovery as needed.

To learn more about the safety and efficacy of available COVID-19 vaccines, these sites from the Military Health System and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide reliable information.

You’ll be hearing more about this as we learn more and develop concrete guidelines for implementation within DLA.

Warfighter Always!

Billie W. Keeler
Acting Director, DLA Human Resources
Defense Logistics Agency

(*Note: This message was issued on August 3, 2021, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA All Hands,

I know there is much discussion and speculation about President Biden’s announcement that federal employees will need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or subject to regular testing and certain restrictions in the workplace. The new guidelines are spelled out in a document issued July 29, 2021, by the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force and titled COVID-19 Workplace Safety: Agency Model Safety Principles.

In a nutshell, agencies will be required to ask federal employees and onsite contractors for their vaccination status. Onsite individuals who are not vaccinated or decline to disclose their vaccination status will be subject to routine testing, mandatory mask wearing, and restrictions on official travel.  

The DLA COVID-19 Coordination Team (CCT) is actively engaged in determining how these new guidelines will be applied within the DLA workforce. We expect further guidance from the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in coming days and weeks. Like other situations where we are awaiting guidance from higher levels of government, DLA is in a holding pattern. In the meantime, leaders and supervisors are not authorized to implement the requirements of this new guidance on their own. The DLA CCT will issue DLA-specific instructions as soon as possible.

The mask guidance issued last week is still fully in effect. In areas of low or moderate community transmission as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), masks are not required for fully vaccinated individuals, and in areas of substantial or high transmission, masks are required for everyone in indoor settings regardless of vaccination status.

I’ll also take this opportunity to stress again that the surest way to protect yourself and your loved ones is to get vaccinated. According to federal health officials, the overwhelming majority of people who are hospitalized or die from the easily transmitted Delta variant that is most widespread in the United States are unvaccinated. To find a vaccination site near you within the United States, search vaccines.gov, text your ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233. Overseas employees and family members should contact their nearest military treatment facility (MTF). DLA employees are authorized up to four hours of administrative leave per COVID-19 vaccination during work hours, and additional time may be granted for recovery as needed.

I know you’ll be hearing more about this as we learn more and develop concrete guidelines for implementation within DLA.

Warfighter Always!

Billie W. Keeler
Acting Director, DLA Human Resources
Defense Logistics Agency

 

(*Note: This message was issued on July 29, 2021, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Team,

As anticipated, the Department of Defense (DoD) has issued updated guidance requiring masks for all personnel regardless of vaccination status in “areas of substantial or high community transmission,” based on information provided by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

This change in guidance is effective immediately; supervisors may suspend enforcement today only for employees who already reported to the worksite without a mask. The guidance applies to all service members, federal employees, onsite contractor employees, and visitors in indoor settings on installations or other facilities owned or managed by DoD.

As a reminder, face masks worn in the workplace must consistently cover the nose and mouth and meet current CDC guidance. They also must not include symbols or sayings that might be considered offensive to other employees.

In addition to wearing a mask at all times while in DoD workspaces, individuals who are not fully vaccinated must also continue to maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet where possible.

You should be hearing from the Senior Accountable Official (SAO) or Senior Accountability Representative (SAR) for your location with specific instructions for mask wearing at your worksite. If you are required to go into a DLA worksite and are unsure of the masking status, please check with your local chain of command.

Regardless of this new mask guidance, the surest way to protect yourself and your loved ones is to get vaccinated. According to federal health officials, since widespread vaccination efforts began, the overwhelming majority of people who are hospitalized or die from COVID-19 are unvaccinated. To find a vaccination site near you within the United States, search vaccines.gov, text your ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233. Overseas employees and family members should contact their nearest military treatment facility (MTF).

DLA employees are authorized up to four hours of administrative leave per COVID-19 vaccination during work hours, and additional time may be granted for recovery as needed.

DLA is using a secure tool that allows employees to voluntarily self-report vaccination status. The automated CAC-protected survey platform can be found at https://resources.hr.dla.mil/hrmcenter/apps/ResponseTracker. This information helps agency leaders identify locations or employee populations where vaccinations are desired but opportunities for vaccinations may not readily be available.

I know fluctuating guidance can be confusing and stressful, but DoD and DLA leaders are making decisions using the most current public health information available in order to make our workplaces as safe and healthy as possible. Thanks for all you’re doing to support those efforts while continuing to meet our important mission requirements.

Warfighter Always!

Billie W. Keeler
Acting Director, DLA Human Resources
Defense Logistics Agency

(*Note: This message was issued on July 26, 2021, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Team,

We’re now more than a month into the temporary pause in reconstitution efforts mandated by Defense Department leaders, so I thought it was a good time to update you on where we stand and remind everyone of some current guidance in place regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vaccines and the Delta Variant

As this video from the Military Health System explains, the rapidly spreading Delta Variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 presents a new, more urgent reason to be vaccinated. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Delta Variant is now the predominant form of the virus spreading in the United States.

The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from this virulent new strain is to receive one of the three COVID-19 vaccines available in the U.S. CDC info indicates these vaccines have an impressive safety record, with hundreds of millions of doses administered in the United States over the past seven months.

Getting a vaccine has never been easier! Search vaccines.gov, text your ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233 to find locations near you in the U.S. DLA employees are authorized up to four hours of administrative leave to receive COVID-19 vaccination during work hours, and additional time may be granted for recovery as needed.

In addition, DLA utilizes an automated tool that allows employees to voluntarily self-report vaccination status. The automated CAC-protected survey platform can be found at https://resources.hr.dla.mil/hrmcenter/apps/ResponseTracker. Information you provide in the tool is safely retained and secure. This information helps agency leaders identify locations or employee populations where vaccinations are desired but opportunities for vaccinations may not readily be available. Not sure if you’ve submitted your info in the tracking tool or need to check that it’s up-to-date? No problem, you can open the tool and view/update your record at any time without creating a duplicate record.

Mask Usage

Fully vaccinated DLA employees are not currently required to wear a mask at DLA facilities. Personnel are considered fully vaccinated when two full weeks have passed since the second dose of a two-shot vaccine or the one dose of a single-shot vaccine.

Individuals who are not fully vaccinated must continue to wear a face mask that consistently covers the nose and mouth and meets current CDC guidance. This does not preclude vaccinated employees from wearing a mask if they elect to do so, and those wearing a mask should not be construed as not fully vaccinated.

You may have heard speculation in the media of returning mask mandates, but no changes have been announced for DoD personnel. If there is an update to this policy, we’ll let you know right away!

Reconstitution Progress

As stated, DoD is in an operational pause in bringing personnel who have been on extended telework or weather and safety leave back into the workplace. Several things have to happen before that pause is lifted within DLA: an updated DoD safety plan has to be approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), DoD has to issue implementing guidance to the services and defense agencies, and DLA has to review the DoD guidance and determine what changes are required in our safety plan and reconstitution framework. Only then will the DLA COVID-19 Coordination Team (CCT) issue DLA-specific guidance. We do not have an estimated timeframe for all these actions to occur, but we are committed to issuing timely and comprehensive communications to the workforce when changes in policy and practice occur and will continue that commitment going forward.

During this pause, organizations or locations may still transition into a less restrictive Health Protection Condition (HPCON) level or reconstitution phase reflective of local conditions including hospitalization rates and test positivity rates, but this will not result in more employees being called back into the workplace until the pause is lifted. In addition, if local indicators worsen, commanders of organizations that have begun the reconstitution process can always transition “back” a reconstitution phase or HPCON level.

This operational pause does not prevent commanders and directors from bringing select personnel back into the workplace for mission-related reasons. And, as always, I and the rest of DLA’s leaders recognize that a large percentage of DLA’s workforce has continued work onsite throughout the pandemic to serve our important customers. We owe these employees our gratitude for their efforts.

If you have questions about these policies or other aspects of how DLA is managing the coronavirus pandemic, please visit our DLA COVID-19 Information Page, which includes guidance summaries and an extensive FAQ section, as well as links to information resources throughout the federal government.

Thank you to all of Team DLA for your commitment to serving our customers and for continuing to follow the workplace procedures necessary to keep us all safe and healthy. As the pandemic situation continues to evolve, we will continue to provide important information as it becomes available.

Warfighter Always!

Billie W. Keeler
Acting Director, DLA Human Resources
Defense Logistics Agency

(*Note: This message was issued on June 16, 2021, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Team,

Late last week the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and the General Services Administration (GSA) released new instructions for federal agencies planning to bring employees who have been predominantly teleworking due to the pandemic back into the workplace. The Department of Defense (DoD) will be developing and issuing updated guidance based on this June 10, 2021, memo, titled: “Integrating Planning for A Safe Increased Return of Federal Employees and Contractors to Physical Workplaces with Post-Reentry Personnel Policies and Work Environment.”

This updated federal guidance instructs agencies to pause reentry efforts until they have approved plans that meet the requirements in the memo. For us, this means that all forward movement based on reconstitution phases or health protection condition (HPCON) levels is paused for the time being. DLA organizations still have flexibility to bring additional employees into Agency worksites for mission-related reasons, but we will not advance further through phases or levels until DoD issues additional implementing instructions.

The new guidance requires DoD to update the Department-level COVID-19 workplace safety plan in line with current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, submit it to the Safer Federal Workplace Task Force for review, and also work with OMB to finalize a phased plan for reentry. The guidance requires the reentry planning to be complete by July 19, 2021. Additional steps, such as formal notifications to employees and implementation of the plans, will occur after DoD’s phased plan is approved by OMB and the safety plan is approved by the Task Force.

As we have seen time and again in this pandemic, guidance and instructions change as we learn more and receive additional direction from higher levels of the federal government. I’m reminded of an old joke from our Marine Corps friends – Semper Gumby, or “always flexible.” Thank you, again, for your professionalism, dedication and continued flexibility as we navigate this situation. Our goal is to cover every base in meeting our critical mission requirements and keeping our valuable DLA team members safe. Stay tuned!

Warfighter Always!

Billie W. Keeler
Acting Director, DLA Human Resources
Defense Logistics Agency
 

(*Note: This message was issued on June 3, 2021, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA All Hands,

I know many of you will view this as good news – effective immediately, fully vaccinated DLA employees are no longer required to wear a mask at DLA facilities, bringing the Agency in line with current guidance from the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

As of May 13, 2021, CDC guidance no longer requires a person to wear a mask if fully vaccinated, meaning two full weeks have passed since the second dose of a two-shot vaccine or the one dose of a single-shot vaccine.

In response to the updated CDC guidelines, the Deputy Secretary of Defense released a memo authorizing fully vaccinated DoD personnel to forego wearing a mask indoors or outdoors at DoD facilities. After collaboration with various DLA stakeholders, we are now able to implement this updated DoD guidance.

Onsite DLA employees who are not fully vaccinated must continue to wear a face mask that consistently covers the nose and mouth and meets current CDC guidance.

Supervisors/leaders should not inquire about or require “proof” of vaccination for personnel relative to the updated mask guidance. Commanders and supervisors may make exceptions to this policy based on local operational risk analyses to determine if mask wearing is necessary in certain confined conditions.

This does not preclude vaccinated employees from wearing a mask if they elect to do so for their own safety, and those wearing a mask should not be construed as not fully vaccinated. It’s important for us to respect all colleagues and keep in mind there are many reasons individuals may elect to continue wearing a mask – unvaccinated, not yet fully vaccinated, vaccinated but taking additional precautions for their own health or a loved one’s health, or they may have realized wearing a mask in public areas has helped alleviate symptoms of other health conditions such as allergies or asthma.

This latest update is a good indicator we are making progress towards some sort of normalcy.  However, this new guidance does not accelerate our process to return DLA employees to their worksites. Moreover, per DoD guidance, knowledge of an employee’s vaccination status will not be used as the basis for adjusting an employee’s work schedule or telework status.  As conditions across the country and in our local areas continue to improve, we will continue to make reconstitution decisions based on appropriate criteria and in a manner that adheres to current Federal workplace safety requirements.

As a reminder, those wanting to be vaccinated against COVID-19 are encouraged to explore all methods for receiving the vaccine, to include state and county health departments, local pharmacies, your personal healthcare provider, or the Department of Veterans Affairs if you are an eligible beneficiary. To learn more about the safety and efficacy of available COVID-19 vaccines, please access these sites from the Military Health System and the CDC for reliable information.

Thanks for reading. Warfighter always!

Billie W. Keeler
Acting Director, DLA Human Resources
Defense Logistics Agency

(*Note: This message was issued on May 10, 2021, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA All Hands,

As the COVID-19 pandemic has evolved, DLA Human Resources, senior leaders, and other subject matter experts, have worked together to develop policy for a number of areas we’d rarely thought of before – things like social distancing in warehouses and offices, quarantining and isolating, wearing face coverings, sanitizing workspaces, and extended telework. Much of this policy has evolved over time as scientists and medical experts have learned more about how the coronavirus is spread and infects people, and the federal government and Department of Defense (DoD) have issued guidance on various topics.

I am pleased to share with you the comprehensive DLA COVID-19 Safety Plan, a broad-ranging policy document that includes guidance on the areas I discussed above rolled into one easy-to-understand package. 

Much of the guidance in the Safety Plan is not new; rules for things like mask wearing and social distancing in the workplace remain in place. Some topics represent further evolution; for example you’ll note a change in the need to quarantine or isolate if you’re in contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19 based on whether you are vaccinated or not. And some items in the Safety Plan replace previous guidance – this plan includes Health Protection Condition (HPCON) levels that are similar to but replace the return-to-work “phases” under our previous DLA Reconstitution Guidance and Framework.

I’ll outline some highlights below, but I encourage you to read the entire DLA COVID-19 Safety Plan and refer often to the DLA Coronavirus Information Site, which has been updated with the Safety Plan guidance.

• Telework: Telework remains a valuable tool for many DLA organizations to meet mission requirements and minimize physical contact and infection risk. Employees currently teleworking full-time under DLA’s maximum telework posture during the COVID-19 pandemic will generally be given up to 14 days advance notice before they are required to return to work onsite at DLA duty locations, subject to mission requirements.  However, in the event of a surge in mission-essential work, you may be asked to report onsite for duty with little notice.
• Face masks: Onsite DLA employees, contractors, and visitors must continue to wear a face mask that consistently covers the nose and mouth and meets current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidance.
• Quarantine and isolation: As a general rule, asymptomatic, non-immunized personnel with potential exposure to COVID-19 should not return to the workplace until they have a confirmed negative COVID-19 test. However, fully vaccinated personnel and individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past three months and have recovered are not required to remain out of the workplace even if they have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19.
• Workplace operations: DoD has established a Health Protection Condition (HPCON) framework to categorize each location according to local pandemic-related conditions. Under the previous DLA Reconstitution Guidance and Framework, we referred to reconstitution phases; moving forward we’ll be referring to HPCON levels. HPCON levels will be location-based, and the full HPCON framework is spelled out in a handy chart in the DLA COVID-19 Safety Plan. In a nutshell, HPCON levels are determined by local conditions of several factors, including community spread levels. AS HPCON levels progress, teleworking employees and those on extended Weather and Safety Leave will return to their worksites incrementally. Once an HPCON level is declared for a location, the location may not exceed more than a 10% occupancy increase per two-week period up to the maximum percentage for that HPCON level. As we move through the HPCON levels, some organizations will be using staggered schedules and employee cohorts to best ensure employee health and safety. Examples of staggered schedules and employee cohorts are described in the Safety Plan.
• Physical distancing: To the extent practicable, all DLA employees, contractors, and visitors are required to always maintain distance of at least 6 feet from others, consistent with CDC guidelines, including in offices, conference rooms, and all other shared workspaces.
• Environmental cleaning: DLA Installation Management will continue to conduct cleaning in common use/high-touch/high-density spaces, such as lobbies, restrooms, elevators, and stairwells in accordance with CDC guidance. In the event of a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 in the workplace, cleaning will be performed in accordance with CDC guidance.

This COVID-19 Safety Plan was developed to protect DLA employees, contractors, other building occupants, and visitors to DLA facilities and to help stop the spread of COVID-19. All DLA senior leaders are committed to protecting individuals in our facilities from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, while preserving our ability to complete our mission and continue to best serve our customers. Our DLA culture is a strong one, and our workforce is resilient. This Safety Plan will help DLA team members who have been on extended telework or leave come together safely and reengage with their teammates through interpersonal interaction, knowledge transfer to new employees, and the important mini-interactions that can only happen when we are physically in the office. It also reinforces health and safety protocols for the members of our workforce who have continued to carry out their duties onsite throughout the pandemic.

A special shout out to the members of the DLA COVID-19 Coordination Team (CCT) for their work in developing this comprehensive guidance document, and thank you to the entire DLA team for working together to complete our important missions while also doing all we can to ensure each other’s health and safety.

Warfighter Always!

Billie W. Keeler
Acting Director, DLA Human Resources
Defense Logistics Agency
 

(*Note: This message was issued on May 5, 2021, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Team,

Thanks to recent guidance released by the Department of Defense, DLA employees are now authorized up to four hours of administrative leave during work hours to receive COVID-19 vaccination. Up to four hours is authorized for each shot and can be used for time spent traveling to and from the vaccination location, time at the vaccination location, and, if needed, for a reasonable amount of recovery time. The four hours of administrative leave covers vaccines administered by any source, including DoD, federal, state, and local government organizations, or private health care providers and commercial pharmacies, such as Walgreens, CVS, etc.

Employees who experience an adverse reaction to a COVID-19 vaccination are also authorized up to two workdays of administrative leave per vaccination dose for recovery if needed. Several Frequently Asked Questions on this topic are available on the DLA Coronavirus Information Page in the FAQ section under “Vaccine Availability.” 

The EAGLE timecard code for administrative leave (LN) and reason code (23 – disease/virus prevention) should be used for the vaccinations and for time off for any associated adverse reaction. Administrative leave may be granted retroactively for employees who used personal leave to obtain a COVID-19 vaccination. Employees should contact their EAGLE Administrator to request a timecard correction to convert previously approved annual or sick leave or other time off used for this purpose to the correct administrative leave code.

Last month we introduced an automated tool that allows you to voluntarily self-report your vaccination status. Since the announcement of this new tool, many of you have reviewed the information within the system and volunteered your vaccination information to help DLA better focus vaccine supply availability. While providing your vaccination status remains completely voluntary, your input helps us better plan delivery of vaccines where they are needed most. 

The automated CAC-protected survey platform can be found at https://resources.hr.dla.mil/hrmcenter/apps/ResponseTracker.  If you had not previously but now wish to volunteer to receive vaccination from a DLA-facilitated source, you will be able to indicate this through this new platform. We’ve added this CAC-protected link to the left menu of the DLA Coronavirus Information Page for your convenience, so you can update your status whenever you have a change to report.

I urge your participation in this new online survey, as your support will in turn support the needs of our co-workers.

Remember, those wanting to be vaccinated against COVID-19 are encouraged to explore all methods for receiving the vaccine, to include state and county health departments, local pharmacies, your personal healthcare provider, or the Department of Veterans Affairs if you are an eligible beneficiary. To learn more about the safety and efficacy of available COVID-19 vaccines, these sites from the Military Health System and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provide reliable information.

Thanks for reading. Warfighter always!

Billie W. Keeler
Acting Director, DLA Human Resources
Defense Logistics Agency
 

(*Note: This message was issued on April 9, 2021, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Team,

A year ago this month we were still grappling with understanding how to operate in this pandemic environment and wondering when we’d be back to “normal.” I don’t think many of us would have guessed we’d still be wondering a year later. As an organization we’ve made tremendous strides, using tools like telework and taking precautions to protect those required to report to our worksites to continue supporting our customers and meet our mission requirements. Even though at times we might feel “stuck,” the pandemic situation – and the federal government’s response to it – has continued to evolve. This message is intended to update the workforce of the latest developments potentially affecting our employees.

The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Emergency Federal Employee Leave Fund

The ARP Emergency Federal Employee Leave Fund authorizes emergency paid leave for a wide variety of reasons related to COVID-19. All DLA civilian employees are covered by this emergency paid leave provision, which provides up to 600 hours (15 weeks) of paid leave. The emergency paid leave is in addition to other types of paid leave but may not be used concurrently with other types of paid leave. The Government set aside $570 million in an emergency leave fund for federal employees to draw from, and the leave benefits are capped at $2800 per pay period. This leave may be used from March 11, 2021, through the end of the fiscal year, Sept. 30, 2021. Please note: the employee’s federal retirement service computation date is amended by the amount of emergency paid leave used. This means time spent on emergency paid leave does not count towards the employee’s retirement benefits. You can find the full list of authorized reasons for employees to use this emergency leave fund in the Interim Guidance on the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. EAGLE site administrators will provide interim instructions for coding this leave in the EAGLE Time and Attendance System. OPM implementing guidance on emergency paid leave is pending publication and may result in backdated corrections in EAGLE being necessary. Once implementing guidance is published, DoD and DLA will issue supplemental procedural guidance for administering requests for emergency paid leave.

Vaccine Availability and Reporting

The Department of Defense (DoD) continues efforts to ensure every Department employee and beneficiary who wishes to receive a COVID-19 vaccine is able to obtain it. DLA has created and is maintaining location-based lists of employees wishing to obtain vaccination from a DLA-facilitated source, and we are working through those lists based on local availability. These location-based lists are managed by a Senior Accountable Official (SAO) and Senior Accountable Representative (SAR) at each DLA location. These designated officials are responsible for managing workforce accountability within each location, although they may not be within each employee’s chain of command. 

DoD has recently expanded efforts to gather data to better focus vaccine supply availability, so DLA is working to determine the percentage of the workforce that has been vaccinated against COVID-19. This information will be used to aid in identifying locations with distribution shortfalls and assist in prioritizing Agency/DoD vaccination efforts. You probably have been asked by a supervisor if you have received the vaccine or received a survey from your local SAO or SAR. Moving forward, this survey will be delivered electronically on a secure platform, through which you may access and report your information. Details will be provided to the workforce in coming days. While providing your vaccination status is completely voluntary, your input helps us more effectively plan for and deliver vaccine doses where they are needed most.

In the meantime, those wanting to be vaccinated against COVID-19 are encouraged to explore all methods for receiving the vaccine, including state and county health departments, local pharmacies, your personal healthcare provider, or the Department of Veterans Affairs if you are an eligible beneficiary. To learn more about the safety and efficacy of available COVID-19 vaccines, these sites from the Military Health System and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide reliable information.

Reconstitution Status

Due to local conditions and instructions from the White House and the federal Office of Personnel Management (OPM), most DLA locations are paused in Phase 0 or 1 of the DLA Reconstitution Framework. Agency leaders are waiting for additional guidance from DoD that will provide more specific details on the administration’s approach to reconstituting federal workplaces. However, recommended occupancy limits don’t impact our mission requirements. Commanders have flexibility to request exceptions for operational needs. Organizational and site leaders will receive revised reconstitution guidance when DoD officials issue further instruction.

Mask Wearing/Workplace Safety and Health Practices

As more of us become fully vaccinated and COVID cases and hospitalization rates across the country level off or drop, we might be tempted to let our guard down in DLA workplaces. But DoD guidance remains the same: masks are required in all facilities and installations, and rules for social distancing and frequent handwashing remain in effect. It’s important for all of us to do our part to keep ourselves and our co-workers safe and healthy. Please review and refer to the latest guidance on mask usage and workplace practices on the DLA Coronavirus Information Page.

As we have been for over a year now, we’re all in this together. I’m amazed at what this Agency has overcome and accomplished since the pandemic began, and I know we’ll continue to succeed if we remain vigilant of the safety guidelines and continue to show concern for each other and our important missions.

Thanks for reading. Warfighter always!

Billie W. Keeler
Acting Director, DLA Human Resources
Defense Logistics Agency
 

(*Note: This message was issued on Jan. 29, 2021, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Team Members,

Officials in the Department of Defense (DoD) and Defense Health Agency (DHA) are working to determine how best to provide COVID-19 vaccines to Department personnel who voluntarily agree to receive them. As you are no doubt aware from news reports, the nation continues to work through distributing the vaccine to our citizens, to include the DoD population. We are taking steps to make sure the DLA workforce is ready when our turn comes. To borrow from the Hamilton musical, we are not throwing away our shot!

DLA is following guidelines set in the DoD Vaccination Implementation Plan, and we anticipate all DoD personnel will be offered the opportunity to be vaccinated against COVID-19. However, it may take several months for vaccinations to become available for all who are willing to receive them. Under this plan, DoD is giving initial priority to healthcare workers, first responders, deploying forces, and certain other employees responsible for maintaining essential national security functions. Other categories of employees will fall into later phases.

To help effectively plan to meet these needs, DLA has been tasked by DoD to prepare location-specific lists of personnel who volunteer to receive a COVID-19 vaccine if it’s made available by the Department. To this end, many of you have been or will be asked by your supervisors or officials at your work location if you are willing to volunteer to be vaccinated. If you haven’t been asked, I anticipate you receiving this question in coming days.

I’d like to take this opportunity to answer some questions you may have about why we are requesting this information, what we’re doing with it, and what you should expect as the federal government makes more vaccine stocks available to DoD organizations.

• What information can my supervisor/senior official at my location ask for in conjunction with COVID-19 vaccines? Keeping in mind that all authorized COVID-19 vaccines are approved under an Emergency Use Authorization and are completely voluntary, your supervisor can ask if you have already received the vaccine and if you are willing to voluntarily receive a COVID-19 vaccination from DoD.
• What information am I required to provide? You are not required to answer these questions if you do not want to be placed on a list to voluntarily receive vaccination.
• Why is DLA collecting this information? We are meeting a DoD requirement to identify employees who are willing to receive the vaccine to facilitate planning for required doses and support efforts to prevent wasted vaccine supplies.
• What if I change my mind about my answer? If you initially elect to receive the vaccine and later change your mind or vice versa, please alert your supervisor. Allowing your name to be added to the list for your location does not obligate you to take a vaccination. Likewise, if you add your name to the DLA list at your work location and you subsequently receive a vaccination from another source, such as your personal healthcare provider or community public health department, please let your supervisor know so you can be removed from the DLA list.
• What if my “turn” to get a vaccination comes up and I am unavailable? You would stay on the list and be notified when the next opportunity becomes available.
• What if an opportunity to receive a vaccination from my healthcare provider/city/county/state becomes available to me before DLA offers me a shot? We encourage employees who voluntarily agree to receive COVID-19 vaccination to accept the shots from whatever source becomes available to them first.

We will be adding some of these and other questions and answers to the DLA Coronavirus Information page and updating them as the situation evolves and more information becomes available. I also encourage you to familiarize yourself with information on vaccine safety and efficacy provided by the Military Health System and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

As a reminder, wearing a face covering is mandatory in federal facilities, even after being vaccinated against COVID-19. It is imperative to continue mitigation measures, such as wearing face coverings, maintaining a social distance of at least 6 feet from others when possible, and regularly washing hands or using hand sanitizer. These measures are still necessary to help reduce your chance of being exposed to the virus or spreading it to others. 

As we approach the one-year mark since the beginning of the pandemic, I know I speak for VADM Skubic and all your senior leaders in saying how proud we are of all this workforce has overcome and accomplished in the past year. I know we’ll keep doing all we can to meet the needs of our warfighters and our nation.

Thank you, and Warfighter Always.

Brad Bunn
Director, DLA Human Resources
Defense Logistics Agency

(*Note: This message was issued on Jan. 7, 2021, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Team,

It has been exciting to watch news reports of Americans receiving the COVID-19 vaccine under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and everyone in DLA can be proud of the critical part our Agency is playing in distributing vaccines and other critical pharmaceuticals and medical supplies. 

The Defense Department has full confidence in the safety and efficacy of vaccines approved by the FDA and has stated it is procuring enough federally approved vaccines for active-duty military members and their family members, retirees, reserve components, DoD civilian employees, and contractors. DoD is currently giving initial priority to healthcare workers, first responders, deploying forces, and certain other employees responsible for maintaining essential national security functions. 

In the coming weeks we’ll be learning more from DoD about how approved COVID-19 vaccines will be made available for DLA employees, and the Agency will continue to provide timely information updates. Because they are approved under an Emergency Use Authorization, all COVID-19 vaccines are offered on a voluntary basis. 

We also expect that people will have the opportunity to get vaccinated through their healthcare providers and local medical resources. We encourage you to consult with your healthcare provider and monitor communications from your local and state public health authorities, and if the vaccine is made available to you from those sources, you may certainly take advantage of that opportunity.  

In the meantime, it is imperative to continue mitigation measures, such as wearing face coverings, maintaining a social distance of at least 6 feet from others when possible, and regularly washing hands or using hand sanitizer. These measures are still necessary to help reduce your chance of being exposed to the virus or spreading it to others.  The CDC recommends that during the pandemic we continue to wear masks and practice mitigation measures, even after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.   

Thank you for your continued cooperation with these important health protection measures. We’ll share more info about vaccine availability and any applicable DoD or DLA policies as the situation evolves. 

If you want to learn more about COVID-19 vaccination efforts, these sites from the Military Health System and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are a good start. The DLA Coronavirus Information Page is also a great reference for DLA-specific information. 

WARFIGHTER ALWAYS!

Brad Bunn
Director, DLA Human Resources
Defense Logistics Agency
 

(*Note: This message was issued on Dec. 21, 2020, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

Team DLA,

As we come to the end of a taxing, yet extraordinary year, I just want to say thank you for the outstanding support you’ve provided to our Warfighters and our Nation in 2020.

While DLA has continued to provide unparalleled warfighter support, the big story of this year has been the COVID-19 pandemic. Your efforts in providing critical items and equipment in America’s time of need – PPE, medical equipment, test kits, hand sanitizers, food and fuel – has been nothing short of heroic.

I’d like to offer a special thank you to DLA’s front-line essential workers whose jobs require physical presence at a duty site, including team members at our distribution centers, disposition yards, and service industrial sites, our first responders who keep us safe, and of course, those deployed overseas serving alongside our Warfighters.

Performing as you have in the face of adversity is stressful and can test the resilience of anyone. The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed many lives, including six cherished DLA team members whose loss we mourn. It has damaged livelihoods and threatened the economy. It has forced us to change the way we live, work, and interact with each other.

After nine months of the coronavirus, we’ve been through unrelenting stress, both personally and professionally.

As we draw closer to the holidays, I ask that you acknowledge the stress you’ve endured and to consider making your personal resilience a high priority.

The topic of resilience has been relevant to our military for years, but I think we can all benefit from it. Focusing on the core components of connection, wellness, healthy thinking, and meaning can empower us to withstand and bounce back from difficult experiences. Important aspects of resilience include engaging in enjoyable activities, social interaction, and regular exercise.

We’re on the cusp of the COVID vaccine rollout, and although we should not let up in our safeguards against the virus, there’s reason to be optimistic. In the meantime, take advantage of the holidays to safely connect with your loved ones.

Use this special season to find ways to build on your personal resilience. Consider it a gift to yourself and your family, a chance to improve your well-being and start the new year ready to meet the coming challenges.

I cannot begin to thank you enough for all we’ve accomplished in 2020. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season filled with family, friends, faith, and reflection. Stay safe, and I look forward to serving with you in a happier 2021!

Warfighter Always,

M. C. Skubic
VADM, SC, USN
Director, DLA
 

(*Note: This message was issued on Sept. 24, 2020, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Team,

Your health and wellness are very important to me and to the success of our Agency. The stress, anxiety and distraction the pandemic and other troubling developments widely covered in the news have caused for all of us are undeniable. 

Like so many across the Nation, our Agency has been impacted by the COVID crisis.  I am saddened to tell you we lost a DLA teammate to the pandemic this week. Many of us are dealing with other personal causes of stress and loss. For this reason, I ask that we remain vigilant in taking care of ourselves and others to ensure the well-being of our workforce.  Let me highlight some key health and safety matters (below) to which I remain committed:

Workplace Safety

Whether you report to the worksite or work from home, it is important that your place of work be a safe environment.  Commanders, directors, and supervisors are expected to continue worksite safety inspections and awareness initiatives.  Work areas in the home require adequate space, light, telephone and internet service, power, and temperature control.  Employees are responsible for ensuring that alternate workspaces comply with safety requirements.

Workforce Health and Resiliency

As I said during my introductory town hall, DLA only succeeds through the talent and drive of our workforce.  While it is incredible to see the devotion to the mission exhibited by all of our employees, the mission will fail in the long run without proper attention to individual needs.  Mental health and resiliency are as important in the current public health emergency as physical health.  I urge you to take time to stand up or stretch between tasks.  If you are working on your computer, take time to get up and stretch, take deep breaths, and look up from the computer at regular intervals.

Also, use your earned leave!  Even if travel plans are curtailed, it’s important to take time off work to recoup, regenerate and relax.

Resources and Support

Lastly, I also want to reassure you that our support programs and resources remain active and available.  Please do not hesitate to take advantage of these agency-provided resources.

• The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a fantastic resource and is here to support you and your family 24/7/365.  The EAP is completely confidential and free of charge to you and your family.  Do not hesitate to call 866-580-9046 for assistance, even if you just want to talk to someone.
   
• Both the DLA Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) programs continue to assist and support members of our workforce.  Additionally, the SAPR and EEO staff continue to conduct and monitor annual SAPR and Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) training to ensure all employees continue to comply with DOD regulations, while working in a telework environment. There is no place for sexual harassment or sexual assault in our agency, regardless of where employees are currently working.
   

Finally, thank you for your ongoing dedication to the mission as we continue to persevere through this crisis.  I am honored to serve with you.  Please continue to check on one another, stay safe, and take care of yourselves and your families.

Warfighter always!

M. C. Skubic
VADM, SC, USN
Director, DLA
 

(*Note: This message was issued on July 22, 2020, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA,

Let me start this message by thanking you for your flexibility, resilience, and creativity in dealing with the changes and expanded mission areas brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. If you haven’t been following what all areas of DLA are doing to support the military and the nation in this crisis, spend a few minutes browsing the success stories. Every member of Team DLA contributed in some way to these accomplishments. 

You’re likely aware that many areas of the country – including areas where DLA employees live and work – are seeing increases in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.  As a global combat logistics support agency – 27K people strong – DLA personnel are not immune, so it’s critically important that we all continue to understand and faithfully follow safety and health protocols. The DLA coronavirus information page has information on DLA policies and links to other authoritative sources providing valuable and comprehensive information on workplace and personal practices, including: wearing cloth face coverings, maintaining physical social distancing, frequent handwashing and use of hand sanitizer, and staying home if you are experiencing any of the physical symptoms associated with COVID-19.  If you haven’t already, please log into the DLA Learning Management System (LMS) and take the short training course titled “Returning DLA to the Worksite During the COVID-19 Pandemic.”  While these practices are required in DLA workplaces, I also encourage you to follow them in all aspects of your daily life so that we can do our part to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Leaders in all DLA locations and organizations are carefully tracking trends and following the best expert advice in making decisions as outlined in the DLA Reconstitution Guidance and Framework so we can provide the safest and healthiest workplaces possible while doing our critical work to support our nation. Thank you for your support of each other and our important missions as we figure out and carefully follow the best practices to protect our employees and workplaces.

As I said when I assumed responsibility as Acting Director earlier this month, DLA’s people are the heart of everything we do. You support the mission with great pride and you have proven time and again that you are compassionate, resourceful, and resilient. I know that you will continue to provide the same great support for our new Director, Vice Admiral Michelle Skubic, when she assumes responsibility later this week.

Thank you for everything you do to support each other and our nation.

Mike Scott
Acting Director
Defense Logistics Agency
 

(*Note: This message was issued on June 16, 2020, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Team,

For several weeks your senior leaders and various subject matter experts have been coordinating on plans that outline a path over time to bring more of our workforce back into our DLA workplaces. LTG Williams discussed some of these issues during last week’s virtual town hall. As some DLA locations prepare to enter the first phase, I wanted to share with you some more details on the phases outlined in those plans and some of what will be expected of all of us as we move through the phases.

I also would like to acknowledge the roughly 35% of our DLA workforce who have been designated as “mission-critical onsite,” which means they have come into their workplaces throughout this crisis to continue DLA’s vital work of supporting warfighters and the whole-of-government response to the pandemic. This includes deploying overseas; executing our wholesale distribution operations; supporting our Disposition Services customers; enabling our Service customers at shipyards, readiness centers, and depots; keeping our installations safe and secure; performing necessary IT “touch labor;” issuing CAC cards and fingerprinting new employees; performing classified work; and many other functions requiring physical presence. To those of you who reported for duty to continue these critical functions, THANK YOU.

For those locations and organizations that have been working under maximum telework conditions and expanded use of weather and safety administrative leave, it’s important to understand each DLA major population center has its own plan for returning employees to the workplace, all based on common guidance for a conditions-based, deliberate, and safe return to the workplace.  Different locations will likely go through the various phases on different timelines accounting for local conditions, but they will have common elements.

• Four phases running from Phase 0, only mission-critical onsite employees are allowed in DLA workplaces, to Phase 3, which will reflect full mission operations, though still making use of protective measures such as social distancing.
   
• All plans use “cohorts” to reduce the amount of employees in a location at a time, appropriate to the various phases. They also include considerations for high-risk employees, social distancing and alternate work schedules, reopening of facility support services, and disinfectant cleaning in accordance with guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
   
• Officials in every DLA location are working to ensure adequate stocks of cleaning and sanitizing supplies are available to support personnel working onsite.
   
• Reconstitution plans include provisions to consider the needs of families with school-age children in areas where schools and daycare facilities are closed or reduced in capacity. They also allow for continued expanded use of telework for employees with health conditions that place them at higher-risk for complications from COVID-19 and for those who care for vulnerable household members.
   

Depending on the locations, you may see various screening measures at the workplace, most of which involve employees “self-screening” to reduce the possibility of the spread of the virus.

Regardless of what phase your workplace is in, it will be critically important for all DLA team members to faithfully adhere to some simple safety provisions:

• Wash your hands with soap and water thoroughly and frequently. If this isn’t possible, use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol after touching surfaces.
   
• Frequently disinfect items you are responsible for, such as your keyboard, common access card, and phone.
   
• Follow guidelines for physical distancing and allowable numbers of people in meetings, etc.
   
• Wear cloth face coverings in workspaces when it’s not possible to maintain at least six feet of physical distance between co-workers, this includes when entering and leaving facilities and when moving through common areas such as hallways, stairwells and elevators.
   
• Stay home if you experience any symptoms of illness or signs of a fever, and always notify your supervisor of your status.
   

DLA Training has developed a short online training video for all employees that will make clear what to expect in DLA workplaces and outline clear guidelines for everyone to follow while onsite. Look for this mandatory online training to be added to your learning plan in the DLA Learning Management System (LMS) in the coming days.

While it is not possible to completely eliminate risk in our workplace, everyone working together to understand and adhere to these guidelines is the surest way for us to keep our DLA workforce and families safe while continuing to meet our agency’s important mission requirements.

The best source of information on specifics at your DLA worksite is your supervisor and local managers. We have also updated the DLA Guidance and FAQ pages of our agency coronavirus info site, with additional information on the DLA COVID-19 Reconstitution Guidance and Framework.

This pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for our agency and communities, and I continue to be impressed at how our DLA family has handled this situation. Thank you for your efforts as we continue to face these challenges together.

Brad Bunn
Director, DLA Human Resources
Defense Logistics Agency

(*Note: This message was issued on May 8, 2020, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Team,

Earlier this month I alerted you that a phased plan to guide DLA back to full-scale operations was in the works. A multi-disciplinary team from across the Enterprise has been working tirelessly to create a framework for DLA organizations and locations to follow as we work toward reconstituting our workforce and bring our valued employees back into Agency workspaces.

Your senior leaders were provided with this framework and detailed guidance on May 8. They are now working to create plans geared toward our major DLA population centers and all other locations where DLA employees normally report to work.

Here are some important things for you to know about the framework provided to senior leaders:

• DLA organizations/locations will transition through four phases – from Phase 0, where we are now (maximum telework and workplaces restricted to mission-essential on-site-required employees), to Phase 3, full return to the workplace under normal operations. Different locations are likely to progress through the phases along different schedules depending on local/regional/state conditions. This means you’ll hear about status changes from your local leaders. Please stay in close contact with your supervisory chain for specific, day-to-day instructions when we begin implementing reconstitution plans.
   
• There is no pre-set timeline for these phases. Each will likely last at least two weeks before moving to the next phase and will depend on positive community trends on COVID-19 cases and flu-like symptoms, local government restrictions and orders, and other factors.
   
• Leaders will be prepared to “go back” a phase if conditions warrant.
   
• You may be placed in cohorts to stagger shifts or workdays to minimize chance of infection to the extent possible during each phase. Organization and scheduling of cohorts may be adjusted as your location/organization progresses through the four phases.
   
• Each phase of your organization’s reconstitution plan will be tailored to provide the safest work environment possible while maintaining mission effectiveness appropriate to the local conditions.
   

During our current “Phase 0” status and as we progress in a careful and deliberate manner toward “normal” operations under reconstitution plans, DLA managers and supervisors will continue to thoughtfully balance mission requirements while ensuring maximum workforce health and safety measures.  As mission needs evolve or change, so can requirements for mission-essential on-site operations. Employees on telework status or weather and safety leave remain subject to recall for mission-related reasons and should be postured to return to duty within one day of notification.

As we move among phases, my commitment to you is that employee safety will remain paramount in conducting DLA reconstitution. We are working to procure and have available Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as gloves, masks, hand sanitizer, and face shields, as appropriate to each location and job based on criteria under development by DLA Safety officials and informed by guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Each DLA duty location will also strictly follow CDC guidelines for facility cleaning. And every one of us will still be responsible for CDC-directed personal behaviors, including hand washing, social distancing, and staying home if symptomatic.

Your leaders and their designated representatives are working to develop these local plans within a week. I have asked for them to be completed by Friday May 15 so we can scrutinize and troubleshoot as necessary and have the strongest plan possible in place when the time comes for your location to meet the first gating criteria and move to the next phase. You can expect to hear much more from your chain of command so you know what to expect at each phase.

We are also working to keep the DLA Coronavirus Guidance and FAQ as up-to-date as possible. Please continue to refer frequently to the coronavirus page for the most current Enterprise-wide information.

I am so proud of what this great Agency has accomplished under trying and unprecedented conditions since this crisis began, and I've heard equally high praise from our leadership throughout the DoD. As always, when our nation called, you answered – this time by supplying the tip of the spear in the battle against COVID-19, all while continuing to support our Warfighters. I am grateful to be your Director, and wish all of you and your families continued health and safety.

DARRELL K. WILLIAMS
LTG, USA
Director
Defense Logistics Agency
8725 John J. Kingman Road
Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6221
 

(*Note: This message was issued on May 1, 2020, and may not reflect the most current situation for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA Team,

I’d like to start this message by thanking you for the dedication, flexibility and teamwork I’ve seen demonstrated in all corners of our Agency during this unprecedented global crisis. You’ve taken the proverbial bull by the horns and have successfully served our customers and your fellow citizens. Because of this, our Agency has become a leading player in the federal government’s response efforts in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thanks to your efforts, (as of May 1, 2020) DLA has:

• Executed more than 5,300 contract actions worth more than $1 billion.
• Procured medical facilities with 92 million gloves, 4 million N95 respirators, 8,000 ventilators, and 2.5 million gowns for healthcare workers.
• Stocked the USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy – the two U.S. Navy hospital ships that rapidly deployed to hot spots on both coasts to treat our fellow Americans – with more than $14 million in protective equipment, pharmaceuticals, medical supplies, fuel, food and repair parts.
• Procured 1.5 million face shields for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
• Awarded a contract at the request of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for 60 Critical Care Decontamination Systems and associated services to decontaminate N95 respirator masks, each one capable of sanitizing 80,000 masks per day for reuse.
   

You’ve managed these feats in the face of significant obstacles. We have had to limit personnel reporting to our worksites, so nearly 65% of our civilian workforce is teleworking situationally, often while also caring for school-aged children or other family members as schools, daycare centers, and elder care facilities are closed indefinitely. Our ability to conduct many of our operations remotely has served the Agency well during this period.

At the same time, our Distribution, Disposition and supply chain warehouse workforce has continued onsite “no-fail” operations in a safe and professional manner while dramatically and expeditiously ramping up mission output. Throughout this ordeal, DLA’s warehousing workforce, first responders, and certain other mission-critical employees have been part of the nation’s essential lifeblood.

I know many of you are wondering, “How long will we be operating under these circumstances?” and “What’s next?” The short answer is we aren’t sure yet, but a multi-disciplined team from across the Enterprise is working on a phased plan to guide DLA back to full-scale operations. They are aligning federal and DoD guidelines into a framework that also considers local decisions and conditions in order to resume operations for a deliberate return of our employees to DLA worksites.

None of this will happen overnight. Reconstituting our Agency will require that we continue to be diligent and flexible.  We’ll be aiming for consistency where practical, but keeping safety at the forefront and recognizing that mitigation measures will vary based on work environment. The factors to be assessed include local-area trends in reported COVID-19 illnesses, documented cases, and hospital capacity, as well as accessibility of schools and daycare facilities, and availability of public transportation where applicable. State and local statutes and emergency orders affecting DLA work locations will also factor into operating status decisions. The plan under development will provide a central source of information and a consistent foundation for local decisions in coordination with our labor partners.

Success in our efforts will require all of us to continue to practice good hygiene; stay home when ill; and adhere to state and local instructions and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), particularly with respect to face coverings.

As we complete these plans, we will pass direction through your chain of command. For now, continue to operate as we have been, performing our mission-essential functions, leveraging telework, and balancing mission requirements while protecting our workforce.

We hope to provide more guidance as early as next week, and we remain committed to sharing as much information as we can with our workforce.  Please continue to stay informed, including visiting the DLA Coronavirus website.

I continue to be proud and honored to be your DLA Director; you are truly this agency’s “secret sauce.”  May you and your families stay safe, and my heartfelt thanks for all you have done and continue to do.

WARFIGHTER FIRST!

DARRELL K. WILLIAMS
LTG, USA
Director
Defense Logistics Agency
8725 John J. Kingman Road
Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6221
 

(*Note: This message was issued on March 22, 2020, and may not reflect the most current status for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for the most current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

Many state and local governments are implementing “lock down,” "stay at home," or "shelter in place" orders for citizens and temporary closures of "non-essential" businesses and services to combat the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Some of these states have large numbers of DLA employees. It's critical for our DLA workforce to understand that we are part of the Defense Industrial Base Sector, which has been identified as a Critical Infrastructure Sector by Department of Homeland Security.  This means we perform a mission-essential function for our nation, and our employees who must report to a DLA duty site are exempt from such restrictions. A memorandum from Hon. Ellen Lord, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, explains the status of the Defense Industrial Base during this type of emergency.

Even though many DLA employees are teleworking to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 throughout our communities, large numbers of DLA civilian employees, military members, and contractors are still required to report to a DLA duty site to perform mission-critical functions. These functions must continue, not only to support the nation's response to COVID-19, but also to maintain military readiness.  DLA cannot "close," and although COVID-19 may cause us to reduce the number of people reporting to physical worksites, we have an essential job to do for our warfighters and the nation.

DLA is "in the fight" in this war on coronavirus, while also sustaining the support to our warfighters.  Even as most citizens are asked to stay home, many DLA workers will be asked to continue reporting to work to perform these essential functions. We will implement every possible measure to protect our workforce and their families, through enforcing social distancing, maximizing telework, using shift schedules where feasible, increasing efforts to clean and sanitize all DLA workspaces, and ensuring those who are sick stay home.

You will hear more from your chain of command for your particular function and location, but as a member of the DLA team, you are part of the nation's "critical infrastructure," and the nation needs us more than ever right now.

Brad Bunn
Director, DLA Human Resources (J1)
Defense Logistics Agency
 

(*Note: This message was issued on March 16, 2020, and does not reflect the most current status for DLA employees. Please refer to the DLA Coronavirus Guidance page for the most current information on operating status of DLA workplaces, and guidance and protocols for DLA employees who are in the workplace, teleworking, or on weather and safety leave.)

DLA All Hands:  we have all been following the nation’s extraordinary response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), and in the past few days, federal government leaders have authorized significant measures to stop the spread of the virus throughout our communities, including restricting travel, implementing social distancing measures, and expanding workplace flexibilities. I want to assure you that DLA has been following these developments closely and is aligned with the Department of Defense in ensuring we protect our most valuable asset: our people and their families. This change in posture means that we will take all necessary actions to minimize the possibility of the spread of COVID-19. As DLA continues to execute our mission essential functions in support of the Military Services, Combatant Commands, and other customers, I am directing the following measures, effective Tuesday, March 17, 2020:

Maximizing Telework:

• All telework-ready DLA civilian employees are authorized to situationally telework until further notice.  Employees should contact their supervisors to discuss their intent to situationally telework, to include impact on mission essential and customer support functions, and continue making daily supervisory contact to receive any further guidance and work assignments.
• Military members are authorized to telework and should consult with their supervisors on their status.  Military members are subject to local leave only, which is defined as a three (3) hour recall. 
• Employees eligible for telework but not on an approved agreement are encouraged to sign up for a situational telework agreement.  I am directing DLA Human Resources to grant exceptions to policy for certain eligibility requirements in order to maximize our telework-ready workforce.
• Telework-ready means the employee occupies a telework-eligible position, the employee is on an active telework agreement (either regular/recurring or situational) and has the necessary equipment and work to do from their alternate worksite (i.e. home).  
• Teleworking employees may be subject to recall to the duty site if they perform mission essential functions requiring onsite presence.
   

Weather & Safety Administrative Leave for Higher Risk Populations:

• Employees not eligible for telework and who self-identify as being at higher risk for serious complications from COVID-19, including older adults and individuals who have chronic health conditions, (*Note: Information on high-risk populations continues to evolve. Please see CDC's latest guidelines on this population.) such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, lung disease or compromised immune systems and pregnant women may request Weather & Safety Leave, a type of administrative leave for excused absences with no charge to annual leave.
• Supervisors do not need to require certification by a medical professional and may accept self-identification by employees that they are in one of these populations.  In considering requests for this administrative leave, supervisors will consider the mission-critical nature of the employees’ work.
   

Social Distancing 

• Employees reporting to work must practice social distancing.  Social distancing means actions taken to reduce the probability of contact between persons to minimize transmission of a highly-contagious illness. This includes limiting non-essential contact with others and taking steps to maintain a distance of six feet from others when possible.
• Meetings should be conducted virtually to the greatest extent possible, and the number of people in physical meeting rooms should be limited in order to carry out the six feet social distancing policy.
• All DLA-sponsored large gatherings (e.g., in-person town halls) will be canceled, postponed, or accomplished through virtual means.
• Please look for alerts from your installation leadership on measures being taken for common areas, including cafeterias, fitness facilities, and general purpose meeting spaces.
   

Travel Restrictions

In accordance with recent Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD) policy memos, all non-essential travel is cancelled through May 11, 2020.  Mission essential travel must be approved by Commanders or Deputy Commanders, and comply with OSD travel restriction guidance.
 

What You Should Do

• Stay informed.  Check the DLA website frequently, as we’ll be updating it as the situation evolves.
• Follow guidance provided by the CDC:
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe. 
• Stay home when you are sick and follow CDC guidance. 
• Communicate with your supervisor.  If you have been advised by your health care provider or if you meet CDC criteria for quarantine or “stay at home” with self-monitoring, please inform your supervisor so we can ensure you are carried in the appropriate leave or duty status.  Provide your supervisor with contact information (telephone, email, etc.) in the event we need to contact you during off-duty hours.
• For those teleworking, ensure you are “telework-ready,” have a current telework agreement; have technology that allows you to telework, such as a DLA laptop or personal computer, an internet connection, and access to the DLA network; and sufficient productive work available in consultation with your supervisor. Telework-ready employees should communicate daily with their supervisors on their status and assigned duties and accomplishments.  
• If you are not telework-ready and wish to telework, speak to your supervisor about how to meet the requirements.
   

If you have questions, please review the guidance and FAQ on the DLA coronavirus webpage and your chain of command.

If you are DLA employee in a unique situation or do not see your issue addressed in the FAQ, send your question to askhr@dla.mil.

I realize this is an unusual and constantly evolving situation, and I appreciate your patience and resilience, as well as your dedication to continuing to serve our valuable customers while also taking steps to prevent spread of COVID-19.  We’ll be providing more updates as the situation evolves.

MAXIMUM SAFETY….WARFIGHTER FIRST!

DARRELL K. WILLIAMS
LTG, USA
Director
Defense Logistics Agency
8725 John J. Kingman Road
Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6221