New Federal Rules Regarding Vaccines

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 23, 2021) — The email below was sent on Dec. 23 to University of Kentucky employees who may be impacted by new federal vaccine mandates.

Dear Colleagues,

As you may know, the Supreme Court of the United States is hearing a legal challenge to the Biden Administration's vaccine mandates. The Court will hear the case on Jan. 7 and issue a decision shortly after those arguments are made. 

If the Supreme Court rules in favor of the Biden Administration, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is implementing a rule in which employers with 100 or more employees must require COVID-19 vaccines or weekly testing for those who have not been vaccinated.  

Previously, we have required employees who are coming to the Lexington campus each day or one of our Fayette County locations to either vaccinate or test weekly. The OSHA provision, if ultimately enacted, would require us to extend that to any UK owned or operated location.

We must be prepared to implement the provision, if it stays in place.

As a first step, we would ask that you let us know if you have been vaccinated. It’s a simple process. Please upload your vaccine documentation here. 

If you haven’t already, we would urge you to be vaccinated. It is, without question, the best defense we have against the spread of the virus and against serious illness or hospitalization. 

If this provision is ultimately implemented, we will be back in touch early next year with more information about next steps and what may be required for the university and you to be in compliance. 

As always, if you have questions or concerns about this issue or any related to UK’s response to the pandemic, please reach out via email to coronavirus@uky.edu.

Thank you for your cooperation on this important issue. We want to do everything we can to support you — and everyone in our community — in being healthy and safe.