Logan Reed
In 2021, President Biden issued an executive order requiring all federal employees and contractors to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The order was blocked by the courts in 2022 and revoked in 2023. Following this, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) ordered federal agencies to delete all records of federal employees' COVID-19 vaccination status, prior noncompliance with the mandate, or requests for exemptions. This move was aimed at reversing harmful pandemic-era policies that led to federal workers being fired, punished, or sidelined for their personal medical decisions. While there were lawsuits challenging the Biden-era mandate, these were dismissed after the revocation of the vaccine requirement.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Biden-era mandate | Federal employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 |
| Biden administration's response | The mandate was revoked in 2023 |
| OPM directive | To delete all COVID-19 vaccination records from employee files |
| Employee option | Employees may elect to opt out from this information deletion within 90 days |
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What You'll Learn
- Biden administration revoked the federal vaccine mandate in 2023
- Federal agencies ordered to delete employee COVID-19 vaccination records
- Biden issued an executive order in 2021 requiring federal employees to be vaccinated
- The Supreme Court in 2023 instructed lower courts to dismiss legal challenges to the mandate
- Biden administration said the mandate was revoked as 98% of federal workers were vaccinated
Biden administration revoked the federal vaccine mandate in 2023
In May 2023, the Biden administration revoked the federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate that had been in place since September 2021. The mandate required all federal employees and contractors to be vaccinated against COVID-19, with non-compliance resulting in disciplinary action or termination.
The revocation came after a series of legal challenges to the mandate, with a federal appeals court blocking its enforcement in 2022. In April 2022, a federal court reinstated the mandate, but the White House delayed its enforcement pending an appeal. In 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court vacated the injunction and sent the case back to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, ruling that the injunction was moot as the federal government had rescinded the mandates.
Following the revocation, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) ordered federal agencies to "'expunge'" all records of federal employees' COVID-19 vaccination status, prior non-compliance with the mandate, or their requests for exemptions. The OPM instructed agencies to not use this information in any employment-related decisions, including hiring, promotion, discipline, or termination. Employees were given the option to opt out of this information deletion within 90 days.
The Biden administration stated that the revocation of the mandate was due to the high vaccination rates in the country, with nearly 270 million Americans, or 98% of federal workers, having received at least one dose of the vaccine.
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Federal agencies ordered to delete employee COVID-19 vaccination records
In August 2025, the Trump administration ordered federal agencies to delete all records of COVID-19 vaccination status, prior non-compliance with the mandate, or exemption requests from employee files. This order came after a lawsuit challenging the Biden-era requirement that federal employees be vaccinated against COVID-19. The Biden administration had revoked the vaccine mandate in 2023, stating that it was no longer necessary as almost 270 million Americans, including 98% of federal workers, had received at least one dose of the vaccine.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued a memo to federal agencies, instructing them to ""expunge" all vaccine-related information from both physical and electronic personnel files. The memo stated that agencies were barred from using an individual's COVID-19 vaccine status or history of non-compliance in any employment-related decisions, including hiring, promotion, discipline, or termination. Employees were given the option to opt out of this information deletion within 90 days.
The OPM's directive was part of a broader push to reverse what officials described as "harmful pandemic-era policies" imposed under the Biden administration. OPM Director Scott Kupor stated that federal workers should not have been fired, punished, or sidelined for making personal medical decisions during the pandemic.
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Biden issued an executive order in 2021 requiring federal employees to be vaccinated
In 2021, President Biden issued an executive order requiring federal employees and contractors to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The order, which came as the Delta variant was gaining traction, allowed for exceptions on medical and religious grounds. The Safer Federal Workforce Task Force was directed to issue compliance guidance by September 16, 2021.
The executive order also applied to organizations contracting with the federal government and their subcontractors. While the order itself did not contain a vaccine mandate, Biden's plan indicated that the requirement for federal employees to be vaccinated would extend to "employees of contractors that do business with the federal government."
The executive order governing federal contractors and subcontractors had several exemptions. These included grants, contracts, and contract-like instruments with Indian Tribes under Public Law 96-638, and contracts with a value equal to or less than the simplified acquisition threshold.
The Biden administration's vaccine mandate was challenged in court by a group called Feds for Medical Freedom. A federal appeals court blocked the mandate's enforcement in 2022, and Biden repealed it in May 2023. The Office of Personnel Management then ordered federal agencies to expunge all records of federal employees' COVID-19 vaccination status and past noncompliance with the mandate.
In summary, President Biden's 2021 executive order requiring federal employees and contractors to be vaccinated against COVID-19 was met with legal challenges and was ultimately blocked and repealed. The repeal included instructions for federal agencies to remove all records of employees' vaccination status and noncompliance.
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The Supreme Court in 2023 instructed lower courts to dismiss legal challenges to the mandate
In 2021, President Biden issued an executive order requiring all federal employees and contractors to be vaccinated against COVID-19. This mandate was revoked in 2023, with the Biden administration citing high vaccination rates as the reason for the revocation.
Following the revocation, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) ordered federal agencies to "expunge" all records of federal employees' COVID-19 vaccination status, previous non-compliance with the mandate, or requests for exemptions. This order was issued in response to litigation challenging the mandate and was part of a broader push to reverse "harmful pandemic-era policies".
The Supreme Court in 2023 played a role in this process by instructing lower courts to dismiss legal challenges to the mandate. Specifically, the Supreme Court directed the lower court to dismiss a lawsuit brought by Feds for Medical Freedom, a group challenging the Biden-era COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The Supreme Court's instruction was based on the revocation of the vaccine mandate by the Biden administration.
The Supreme Court's decision was influenced by a broader context of legal challenges to the Biden administration's policies. The court has been criticised for its tendency to side with the Trump administration in these cases, often through the use of its emergency docket. This has raised concerns about the legitimacy and transparency of the court's decision-making process, as the emergency docket typically involves brief, unsigned orders without public votes or explanations for the decisions.
In summary, the Supreme Court's instruction to dismiss legal challenges to the federal worker vaccine mandate was a response to the mandate's revocation and part of a broader legal landscape involving the Biden and Trump administrations' policies.
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Biden administration said the mandate was revoked as 98% of federal workers were vaccinated
In 2021, President Biden issued an executive order requiring all federal employees and contractors to be vaccinated against COVID-19. This mandate faced legal challenges, with a federal appeals court blocking its enforcement in 2022. In May 2023, President Biden repealed the mandate, and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued guidance to federal agencies, stating that vaccine status or history of noncompliance should not be used in employment-related decisions.
The Biden administration justified the revocation of the mandate by citing high vaccination rates, with nearly 270 million Americans, including 98% of federal workers, having received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The OPM's directive aimed to erase any negative consequences of the mandate by instructing agencies to ""expunge" records related to employees' vaccination status, prior noncompliance, or exemption requests.
The revocation of the mandate and the deletion of vaccination records were part of a broader effort to roll back pandemic-era policies and restore individual freedom in making personal medical decisions. OPM Director Scott Kupor acknowledged that federal workers faced unfair consequences during the pandemic and assured that such actions would not have lingering effects.
While the Biden administration initially sought to enforce the mandate aggressively, facing legal setbacks, high vaccination rates, and changing circumstances ultimately led to its revocation. The administration's focus shifted to ensuring equal opportunities for federal workers, regardless of their vaccination history or exemption requests. This shift in policy aligned with the recognition that pandemic-era policies needed adjustment as the situation evolved.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Biden did not fire federal workers for not taking a vaccine. In 2021, Biden issued an executive order requiring all federal employees and contractors to be vaccinated against COVID-19. This order was blocked by the courts in 2022 and ultimately revoked in 2023.
The Biden administration issued the mandate as the virus’ Delta variant was gaining steam.
By the time the mandate was revoked in 2023, nearly 270 million Americans had gotten at least one dose of the vaccine, including 98% of federal workers.
The Trump administration ordered federal agencies to delete all COVID-19 vaccination records from employee files and ensure that vaccination status would not be used in employment-related decisions.
