The panel asked for all communications OPM was involved with regarding issuing, interpreting and enforcing the mandate. Image: CL Shebley/Shutterstock.com
The chair of the House subcommittee on the Coronavirus pandemic, Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, has asked OPM for a wide range of information on the justification for, and the results of, the now-revoked vaccine mandate for federal employees.
That letter, along with similar ones sent to DoD, Labor and HHS, is part of the panel’s investigation into similar mandates, now also either revoked or blocked by courts, for military personnel and certain private sector workers.
“Health care workers, federal employees, military service members, and hard-working Americans were forced to choose between their employment and medical freedom,” he said in releasing the letters. “The mandate forced DoD civilians and armed service members to comply with taking the COVID-19 vaccine or risk adverse personnel actions to include termination and separation respectively.”
The letter asked for all internal and interagency communications OPM was involved with regarding issuing, interpreting and enforcing the mandate; any information it received from medical personnel inside or outside the government during that process; and data on requests from employees for medical or religious reasons and any disciplinary actions taken.
The mandate for federal employees was blocked by a court order in January 2022 just as agencies were beginning to take disciplinary actions up to firing against unvaccinated employees who had not received or at least requested an exemption; there have been no public reports of employees being fired before that injunction took effect. However, in the several prior months agencies collected information on the vaccination status of their employees, along with exemption requests, and at least some employee received warnings of potential discipline ahead.
After several appeals, that lawsuit is now back before the trial judge for a decision on whether the mandate violated civil service law. The Biden administration recently asked the U.S. Supreme Court to order the judge to dismiss the case as moot, since the mandate has been revoked; that would prevent a ruling on that issue, which has broader implications for a President’s authority over the federal workforce in general.
The group that brought the suite, Feds for Medical Freedom, recently was given until September 21 to respond to the administration’s motion before the high court.
Large Share of Federal Workforce about to Experience a Payless Pay Period
OPM Details Coverage Changes, Plan Dropouts for FEHB/PSHB in 2026
OMB Says Federal Workforce RIFs are Starting as Shutdown Drags On
Financial Impact of Shutdown Starts to Hit Home; WH Threatens No Back Pay
Surge of Retirement Applications Is in the Pipeline, Says OPM
See also,
TSP Takes Step toward Upcoming In-Plan Roth Conversions
5 Steps to Protect Your Federal Job During the Shutdown
Over 30K TSP Accounts Have Crossed the Million Mark in 2025
The Best Ages for Federal Employees to Retire