UA Employees Now Required To Receive COVID-19 Vaccine

TUSCALOOSA, AL — The University of Alabama will now require all of its employees to receive the widely-available COVID-19 vaccine, following a federal executive order signed by President Joe Biden.

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The order requires all federal contractors and subcontractors to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for employees, including those who work at a university with federal contracts. UA employees were notified of the new mandate on Friday.

The University of Alabama System pointed out on Friday that, as federal contractors, and like most higher education institutions, UA's campuses and other state institutions must comply with the executive order and accompanying guidance, unless it is withdrawn or modified.

As a result of the executive order, UA said the universities are now obligated to ensure that employees are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 by Dec. 8, unless they have an approved medical, disability, or religious exemption.

The UA System stressed the notion that the requirement is mandated by the federal government, which does not grant UA and other institutions the flexibility in its application or enforcement.

"Failure to comply will place our universities in jeopardy of losing hundreds of millions of dollars received through federal contracts and awards, as well as thousands of jobs funded by those dollars," the UA System announced on Friday. "This outcome would severely impact our institutions’ teaching, research and service capabilities and could hamper economic development activity."

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