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Here's what you need to know about UA's COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement Guidelines

Dec. 3, 2021

As a reminder, in accordance with President Biden’s executive order requiring all employees of institutions in federal contracts to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, UAF and many UA System Office employees are required to either receive the vaccine or provide a valid medical or religious exemption. 

Employees affected by the federal requirement received direct notification from Human Resources this week. 

Due to changes in the federal contractor COVID-19 vaccine requirement guidelines, employees affected by Executive Order 14042 will have more time to get fully vaccinated. The deadline has changed from December 8, 2021, to January 18, 2022. The requirement still pertains mostly to University of Alaska Fairbanks employees as well as others listed below:

*Employees falling under federal mandate

  • Employees based on UAF’s Troth Yeddha’ (Fairbanks) campus, regardless of university affiliation and remote work status; 
  • Employees based in UAF research units outside Fairbanks (including Seward Marine Center, Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center, HAARP, Poker Flat, Lena Point, and Toolik Field Station); and 
  • Employees, regardless of their work location, paid by or directly working on impacted UAF federal contracts. 

Please also note that there may be future expansions to the identified employee list due to additional government or university changes.

The following vaccination schedule will ensure you can meet the new deadline. We encourage employees to begin the vaccination process as soon as possible to avoid scheduling and timing challenges:

  • Receive the first dose of the Moderna vaccine by December 7 (and follow vaccination provider guidelines for second dose of four weeks afterwards)
  • Receive the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine by December 14 (and follow vaccination provider guidelines for second dose of three weeks afterwards)
  • Receive the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine by January 4

How to Provide Proof of Vaccination:

  1. Gather your documentation. The following will be accepted as proof of vaccination:
    • Your CDC vaccination card
    • A copy of your vaccination records from your medical provider or pharmacist
    • Foreign vaccination records that meet World Health Organization standards
  1. Choose one of the following options:
    • Fill out the Employee Covid-19 Vaccine Validation Form and upload your vaccination documentation. Please note that the electronic record will be retained; or
    • Show your vaccination record and picture ID (if requested) to an authorized verifier either in person or via a Zoom meeting. When you use this option, a record of your documentation will not be retained by UA.

You may start the validation form upload option immediately. You may show your verification record either in person or by Zoom starting November 22, 2021. The list of authorized verifiers will be available in UA Human Resources, and each UAF Vice Chancellor's, Dean's, and Director's Offices at this time. If you have questions, please contact UA Human Resources at ua-hr@alaska.edu.

How to Apply For An Exemption:

Employees with a medical reason or sincerely held religious belief that prevents them from complying with the COVID-19 vaccine requirement may request an exemption from UA Human Resources using the appropriate exemption form:

Medical exemptions require written support from a medical provider such as a licensed Alaska medical doctor, osteopath, nurse practitioner, or physician’s assistant. Religious exemption requests require an attestation by the employee requesting the exemption. Completed request forms should be uploaded to Employee Covid-19 Vaccine Validation Form for processing by UA Human Resources. Exemptions may not be provided by any other means. To allow time for processing, the deadline for filing an exemption request is December 10, 2021. Exemptions will be reviewed following EEOC guidelines. Employees who apply for but are not approved for a vaccine exemption will be provided a reasonable time period to meet the vaccination requirement.

If you are unable to meet this deadline to submit your exemption form, please contact HR at ua-hr@alaska.edu.

Approved Exemptions to the COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement

Employees with approved exemptions will be required to follow any applicable mitigation efforts associated with their exemption and to follow the federal guidelines for unvaccinated individuals in covered university workplaces.

What will happen if affected employees don’t provide proof of vaccination or exemption, or choose not to follow the required applicable mitigation efforts if they have an approved exemption? 

If you are making an effort to meet these requirements, we will work with you to ensure that the University’s requirement is fulfilled. If you do not intend to meet the requirements, then you are choosing not to fulfill the working conditions of employment. Your supervisor, working with UA Human Resources, will discuss with you the next steps of your separation from employment.

If you have questions, contact UA Human Resources (ua-hr@alaska.edu) or visit the vaccine FAQ website. 

More information on the COVID-19 vaccine and related university regulations can be found here.