Coronavirus Guidance

The purpose of this resource is to share information and policy guidance with the DLA community as it relates to the impact of COVID-19 on DLA operations, personnel, and resources.

DLA has a critical mission to support the Military Services, Combatant Commands, and other Federal agencies; that includes supporting our nation’s response to COVID-19. The key to our success is our people, and while we will respond professionally and swiftly to mission requirements related to COVID-19, we will also take necessary steps to protect and inform our workforce.

As an employer, DLA will follow DoD policies and guidelines in taking any actions to address or mitigate the threat posed by COVID-19. This includes disseminating official information by appropriate public or military health authorities, leveraging workplace policies and flexibilities designed to protect our workforce, and activating “continuity of operations” plans should it become necessary.

We are monitoring the situation closely and will provide updates to this online resource as developments emerge. We encourage you to visit this page frequently, as guidance may be modified as requirements are received from the department. Other reliable sources of information include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , DoD Spotlight page , Johns Hopkins tracking map , or the World Health Organization .

DLA Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Events like COVID-19 can create stress and anxiety. The EAP offers guidance and counseling 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 866-580-9046 for assistance. Learn more about DLA's EAP .

Update your contact information.  Do your part to ensure your supervisor can reach you with important updates. Review team rosters and ensure your contact information is current and accurate in the DLA AtHoc Mass Notification System. Consider including your personal cellphone for voice and text, and home phone and email in case it becomes necessary to send notifications after duty hours. View instructions for updating AtHoc  (DLA CAC-protected link).

(Updated 2/10/2023) Currently, the requirement for all Federal civilian employees to be vaccinated is not in effect.  A U.S. district court judge issued a nationwide preliminary injunction prohibiting implementation and enforcement of civilian employee vaccination requirements based on EO 14043.  Requirements subject to the injunction and not currently in effect are included in this guidance in a strikeout form for ease of reinstitution by USD(P&R) should the injunction be lifted.

On January 30, 2023, the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness issued policy memorandum, “Consolidated Department of Defense Coronavirus Disease 2019 Force Health Protection Guidance -Revision 4.” This policy states that leaders at all levels should encourage Service members, DoD civilian employees, DoD contractor personnel, and others affiliated with DoD to be up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations. Booster doses are recommended but not required.

Effective Jan 30, 2023, all requirements for screening testing and providing information on vaccination status are rescinded. COVID testing is no longer required for service members or civilian employees who are not fully vaccinated when the CDC COVID-19 Community level is high or medium.

Service members (members of the Armed Forces under DoD authority on active duty or in the Selected Reserve, including members of the National Guard) are strongly encouraged to be up to date with COVID-19 vaccination, including booster doses. Booster doses are recommended but not required.

DoD Components should not take any steps to require contractors and subcontractors to implement the vaccination requirement for contractor personnel in Executive Order 14042, nor should they include in new solicitations or enforce in existing contracts (or task orders or delivery orders) any clauses implementing EO 14042.

(UPDATED 2/10/2023) The Department recognizes that wearing high-quality masks, testing, and improved ventilation are other factors to reduce COVID-19 exposure risks.

The following masking guidance applies to all DoD installations and other facilities owned, leased, or otherwise controlled by the DoD:

• When the CDC COVID-19 Community Level is high in the county or equivalent jurisdiction where a DoD installation or facility is located, indoor mask-wearing is required for all individuals, including Service members, DoD civilian employees, onsite DoD contractor personnel, and visitors, regardless of vaccination status.
• Each installation and DoD facility will post signage at building entrances and in common areas of DoD owned and controlled facilities when the CDC COVID-19 Community Level is high indicating that masks are required.
• When the CDC COVID-19 Community Level is medium or low in the county where a DoD installation or facility is located, indoor mask-wearing is not required.

Individuals may choose to wear a mask regardless of the CDC COVID-19 Community Level.

Effective Jan 30, 2023, it is recommended (but no longer required) that all individuals wear masks on DoD conveyances (e.g., aircraft, maritime vessels, and buses) and in Government cars, vans, or other low occupancy transportation assets when more than one person is present.

Masking of patients, visitors, and personnel working in DoD health care facilities (including military medical, dental, and veterinary treatment facilities) will occur in accordance with CDC guidelines.

Masking may be a best practice in cases of COVID exposure, exhibiting symptoms of COVID, or returning to work after testing positive for COVID (see guidance summary on Workplace Practices). 

(Updated 2/10/2023) Effective 1/30/2023, DoD Force Health Protection (Revision 4) guidance removes workplace occupancy limits based on HPCON level. The requirement to avoid close contact (within 6 feet of any individual for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period) with people, has been stricken.

Contractors and Official Visitors to DoD installations are no longer required to complete DD Form 3150 to provide their vaccination status when visiting a DoD facility, and instead will follow applicable DoD policies/procedures when visiting.  

Personnel other than Service members who have signs or symptoms consistent with COVID-19 will notify their supervisor and not come to the DoD workplace. Personnel who develop any signs or symptoms consistent with COVID-19 during the workday must immediately distance from other workers, put on a mask even if mask wearing is not otherwise required by DoD guidance, notify their supervisor, and promptly leave the DoD workplace.

Personnel who test positive for COVID-19 will remain out of the workplace for 5 days. To calculate the recommended time frames, day 0 is the day tested if no symptoms, or the date symptoms started. Personnel who test positive for COVID-19 may return to the DoD workplace if either: (1) they have no symptoms; or (2) if they are fever-free for more than 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and any remaining symptoms are resolving. Mask wearing must continue in the workplace for an additional 5 days (for a total of 10 days post-positive result), even if mask wearing otherwise is not required by DoD guidance.

Personnel exposed to COVID-19 will notify their supervisor. Asymptomatic personnel exposed to COVID-19 must wear a mask in the workplace for 10 days, even if mask wearing otherwise is not required by DoD guidance. Personnel performing duties outside the United States will also follow applicable geographic Combatant Commander guidance to address HN policies.

DoD civilian employees who are remaining out of the workplace because of COVID-19 symptoms and who are waiting for a test result may telework if able to do so. If they are unable to or do not feel well enough to telework, they may request sick leave, use accrued annual leave or other forms of earned paid time off (e.g., compensatory time off or credit hours), or use unpaid leave, as appropriate. Weather and safety leave is unavailable in this situation, but to mitigate exposure risks in the workplace, and on a limited basis, up to 1 day of administrative leave may be offered to DoD civilian employees who have COVID-19 symptoms and are remaining out of the workplace while actively seeking to be tested.

DoD civilian employees who test positive for COVID-19 may telework during the 5 days they are required to remain out of the workplace if able to do so. If they are unable to or do not feel well enough to telework, they may request sick leave, use accrued annual leave or other forms of paid time off (e.g., compensatory time off or credit hours), or use unpaid leave in this situation, as appropriate. Weather and safety leave is not available in this situation.

(Updated 2/10/2023) Effective January 30, 2023, Defense Coronavirus Disease 2019 Force Health Protection Guidance -Revision 4 states that DLA installations located in a county that is at HPCON B/Medium COVID-19 Community Level risk or HPCON C/High COVID-19 Community Level risk, may reduce potential workplace COVID exposures through telework, remote work, flexible scheduling, and other methods, as appropriate. While the guidance to permit liberal telework where possible (especially for individuals who self-identify as immunocompromised or being at high risk for severe disease) was stricken from the guidance, Installation Commanders may deem it necessary to take additional precautions for select personnel and medically vulnerable populations (e.g., those who are elderly, have underlying health conditions or respiratory diseases, or are immunocompromised), and are both encouraged and authorized to do so. Installation commanders may further impose additional requirements appropriate for a particular local setting, operational requirement, and/or based on transmission risk regardless of HPCON level.

At HPCON A or higher, or when a DoD civilian employee is required to remain out of the workplace under section 5.5, DoD Components are granted an exception to policy from Enclosure 3, Paragraph 3.j.(2) of Department of Defense Instruction 1035.01, “Telework Policy,” and may allow DoD civilian employees to telework with a child or other person requiring care or supervision present at home. DoD civilian employees must still account for work and non-work hours during their tour of duty and take appropriate leave (paid or unpaid) to account for time spent away from normal work-related duties to care for a child or other person requiring care or supervision.

DoD civilian employees who are remaining out of the workplace because of COVID-19 symptoms and who are waiting for a test result may telework if able to do so. If they are unable to or do not feel well enough to telework, they may request sick leave, use accrued annual leave or other forms of earned paid time off (e.g., compensatory time off or credit hours), or use unpaid leave, as appropriate. Weather and safety leave is unavailable in this situation, but to mitigate exposure risks in the workplace, and on a limited basis, up to 1 day of administrative leave may be offered to DoD civilian employees who have COVID-19 symptoms and are remaining out of the workplace while actively seeking to be tested.

DoD civilian employees who test positive for COVID-19 may telework during the 5 days they are required to remain out of the workplace if able to do so. If they are unable to or do not feel well enough to telework, they may request sick leave, use accrued annual leave or other forms of paid time off (e.g., compensatory time off or credit hours), or use unpaid leave in this situation, as appropriate. Weather and safety leave is not available in this situation.

In areas of High COVID-19 Community Level Risk, telework should be maximized to the greatest extent practical. In areas of Medium COVID-19 Community Level Risk, reduce potential workplace COVID exposures through telework, remote work, flexible scheduling, and other methods, as appropriate. 

(Updated 2/10/2023) Duty Hours to Obtain a COVID-19 Vaccination: DLA employees are authorized up to four hours of administrative leave per COVID-19 vaccination event. This includes 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 duty hours 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 no more than two workdays of administrative leave for recovery per vaccination dose. Documentation of an adverse reaction or recovery requirement following a COVID-19 vaccination is not typically required except in cases of suspected leave abuse or leave restriction. Employees are not authorized to receive overtime hours for purposes of receiving a vaccination outside their scheduled tour of duty.

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.

Leave flexibilities for COVID testing/symptoms: DoD civilian employees who are remaining out of the workplace because of COVID-19 symptoms and who are waiting for a test result, and are unable to telework or do not feel well enough to telework, they may request sick leave, use accrued annual leave or other forms of earned paid time off (e.g., compensatory time off or credit hours), or use unpaid leave, as appropriate. Weather and safety leave is unavailable in this situation, but to mitigate exposure risks in the workplace, and on a limited basis, up to 1 day of administrative leave may be offered to DoD civilian employees who have COVID-19 symptoms and are remaining out of the workplace while actively seeking to be tested.

DoD civilian employees who test positive for COVID-19 may telework during the 5 days they are required to remain out of the workplace if able to do so. If they are unable to or do not feel well enough to telework, they may request sick leave, use accrued annual leave or other forms of paid time off (e.g., compensatory time off or credit hours), or use unpaid leave in this situation, as appropriate. Weather and safety leave is not available in this situation.

(Updated 2/10/2023) Effective 1/30/2023, Force Health Protection Guidance -Revision 4 rescinds all workplace occupancy limits based on HPCON level.

Force Health Protection Guidance -Revision 4 states that DLA installations located in a county that is at HPCON B/Medium COVID-19 Community Level risk or HPCON C/High COVID-19 Community Level risk, may reduce potential workplace COVID exposures through telework, remote work, flexible scheduling, and other methods, as appropriate. While the guidance to permit liberal telework where possible (especially for individuals who self-identify as immunocompromised or being at high risk for severe disease) was stricken from the guidance for these HPCON levels, Installation Commanders may deem it necessary to take additional precautions for select personnel and medically vulnerable populations (e.g., those who are elderly, have underlying health conditions or respiratory diseases, or are immunocompromised), and are both encouraged and authorized to do so. Installation commanders may further impose additional requirements appropriate for a particular local setting, operational requirement, and/or based on transmission risk regardless of HPCON level.

The DoD HPCON framework establishes an HPCON level for each location based on the instruction provided in the Consolidated Department of Defense Coronavirus Disease Force Health Protection Guidance (PDF). HPCON Levels A, B, and C correspond directly to CDC COVID19 Community Levels of low, medium, and high, respectively. Local community transmission levels are established by consulting the CDC COVID-19 Data Tracker County View. 

(Updated 2/10/2023) Effective 1/30/2023, restrictions on official travel for unvaccinated personnel are rescinded. Restriction of Movement (ROM) before or after travel, and risk assessments prior to travel are rescinded for personnel regardless of vaccination status (Note: ROM after arrival at the travel destination may or may not be required by the Host Nation - Travelers should consult the Electronic Foreign Clearance Guide  and check with the MILDEPs and GCCs for current information). All requirements for screening testing for pre-travel, post-travel, or ROM are rescinded regardless of vaccination status.

In all cases, no personnel may engage in official travel if they have tested positive for COVID-19 and have not yet met the criteria for discontinuing isolation, they are symptomatic, or they are pending COVID-19 test results. After discontinuing isolation, personnel should avoid official travel until 10 calendar days after their symptoms started or the date of their positive test. If these personnel must travel on days 6 through 10, they must properly wear a well-fitting mask when they are around others for the entire duration of travel, even if mask wearing is not otherwise required by DoD guidance. Official travel should also be delayed if, in the past 10 days, an individual has been exposed to someone who has tested positive for, and/or been symptomatic of, COVID-19. Prior to travel, all official travelers should be educated on how to self-monitor and what actions to take if one develops signs or symptoms consistent with COVID-19 or contracts COVID-19.

OFFICIAL TRAVEL FROM THE UNITED STATES TO A FOREIGN COUNTRY

Service members and DoD civilian employees: Service members and DoD civilian employees must follow all requirements imposed by the GCC with responsibility over the destination geographic area, including all applicable HN procedures as a means to respect HN law, and all requirements of the Electronic Foreign Clearance Guide.

DoD family members: Service members must attest that, to the best of their knowledge, their family members have followed the same requirements as those set forth for Service members in this guidance. Failure to do so may result in delay or cancellation of previously authorized travel. This attestation requirement will be incorporated into travel orders issued to Service members.

DoD contractor personnel: DoD contracting officers will ensure that all contracts that include performance outside the United States require DoD contractor personnel to comply with the country entry requirements of the respective GCC.

(Updated 2/10/2023) Effective 1/30/2023, meeting attendees are no longer required to submit a DD3150 Form to validate vaccination status, nor will they be asked for vaccination status to attend. When the CDC COVID-19 community level is high, prior approval is no longer required for meetings with more than 50 participants.

For any planned in-person meetings, events, and conferences sponsored by DoD in a county or equivalent jurisdiction where the CDC COVID-19 Community Level is high or medium, the meeting organizer will require all attendees, including Service members and DoD civilian employees, to physically distance and will limit attendance as necessary to maintain physical distance. Where the CDC COVID-19 Community Level is high, meeting organizers will require all attendees to wear high-quality masks. Meetings do not include military training and exercise events conducted by MILDEPs.