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New Deadline to Comply With Federal Order Requiring Coronavirus Vaccines

November 8, 2021

Colleagues:

The Biden Administration announced a new deadline for employees subject to Executive Order 14042 to have their final vaccination dose: January 4, 2022.

Rutgers employees who have yet to comply with the vaccination requirement are urged to act quickly. The new deadline for seeking a medical or religious exemption is November 19, 2021. Further information can be found at https://policies.rutgers.edu/sites/default/files/100-3-1-current.pdf.

President Joe Biden signed the executive order, which requires vaccination against COVID-19 for certain employees of federal contractors like Rutgers. To ensure compliance with this executive order, all Rutgers employees must receive their final dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by January 4, 2022.

Providing proof of vaccination is not optional. Failure to provide proof of vaccination or receive a university-approved exemption by January 4, 2022, will result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Employees are considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 after receiving the final dose of a vaccine approved or authorized for emergency use in the United States or a vaccine that has been listed for emergency use by the World Health Organization (WHO). Authorized vaccines include those from Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, Johnson & Johnson, and AstraZeneca.

Vaccination Deadlines 

If you need to be vaccinated, please do so immediately. To meet the required January 4, 2022, deadline, please note the following:

  • Those choosing to have the Moderna vaccine must get their first dose by December 7, 2021.
  • Those choosing to have the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine must get the first dose by December 14, 2021.
  • Those choosing to have the single-shot Johnson & Johnson must get their shot by January 4, 2022.
  • Those choosing to have a vaccine that has been listed for emergency use by WHO should assess the necessary timing to comply with the January 4, 2022, deadline.

How to Upload Your Vaccination Information  

For the majority of Rutgers employees who have already uploaded their vaccine records, no further action is required. If you are one of the few remaining Rutgers employees who has not yet uploaded proof of vaccination, please take a few minutes and upload your documentation to https://rtr.ipo.rutgers.edu/vaccines.

Uploading your documents is simple and easy. If you cannot locate your vaccination information, it may be retrieved through the New Jersey Department of Health at https://njiis.nj.gov/core/web/index.html#/requestImmunizationRecord.

Where to Get Vaccinated 

Vaccines are widely and readily available at most health care providers, clinics, or local pharmacies. Rutgers also offers free COVID-19 vaccines to eligible individuals at clinics in Camden, Newark, and Piscataway. No insurance card is required, and walk-ins are accepted. Information on scheduling can be found at https://rutgershealth.org/covid19-vaccine.

President Biden’s executive order supersedes other state or local rules, regulations, laws, or executive orders, and provides limited exemptions from the vaccination requirement for medical or religious reasons. It does not allow for a regular testing option for those employees who choose not to be vaccinated.

Vaccines continue to be a critical tool that help offer us the safest environment possible during the global pandemic. Vaccination against COVID-19 protects the health and safety of all members of the university community, including students, faculty, staff, patients, and visitors.

Stay safe,

Antonio M. Calcado
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer