WASHINGTON — Amtrak will revert to its original COVID-19 vaccination policy, which allows testing as an alternative to vaccination, in light of a court ruling halting a federal executive order blocking enforcement of a vaccination mandate.
As a result, the passenger railroad does not anticipate that it will need to make any service reductions in January, CEO Bill Flynn said in a memo to employees. As recently as a Congressional hearing last week, Amtrak President Stephen Gardner said the company was expecting to reduce some operations [see “Amtrak sticks to employee vaccine mandate …,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 9, 2021].
Flynn’s memo said the testing alternative will be available “on an interim basis … while the Executive Order is not being enforced.” It also says that those who have received exceptions to the vaccination mandate will be able to continue working as long as they submit a negative COVID-19 test weekly, or more frequently as required. Previously, those who received exceptions to the policy were to be placed on unpaid leave [see “Amtrak extends vaccination deadline …,” News Wire, Oct. 28, 2021].
Employees required to submit testing who fail to do so will be initially be placed on a leave of absence and could face termination.
Flynn’s memo says 95.7% of employees are either in full compliance with the vaccination mandate or have received an accommodation, and 97.3% have received at least one shot. “Currently, fewer than 500 active Amtrak employees are not in compliance with the company mandate,” Flynn writes. “This is remarkable progress — and we anticipate that between now and Jan. 4, we will get even closer to a 100% vaccination rate, which remains our goal and our policy.”
Flynn writes that company “will continue to update its vaccine policy as needed and follow the latest health and safety guidance. We believe these most recent changes are both appropriate and prudent, given the recent court decision and the continuing and evolving pandemic.”
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