January 19, 2022

Governor Murphy Signs Executive Order No. 283: Healthcare Facility Worker Vaccine Mandate

Governor Phil Murphy signed Executive Order No. 283, requiring covered workers at health care facilities and high-risk congregate settings to be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations, including having received a booster dose. All covered workers will be required to be vaccinated by the dates set forth in the Order and will no longer be permitted to submit to testing as an alternative to vaccination, except for the purposes of providing an accommodation for individuals exempt from vaccination as set forth in the covered setting’s vaccination policy. This requirement aims to strengthen protection against the spread of COVID-19 and the highly transmissible Omicron variant to vulnerable populations across the state. 

For purposes of this Order, health care and high-risk congregate settings include:

• Acute, pediatric, inpatient rehabilitation, and psychiatric hospitals, including specialty hospitals, and ambulatory surgical centers
• Long-term care facilities, including the state veteran’s homes
• Intermediate care facilities, including the state developmental centers
• Residential detox, short-term and long-term residential substance abuse disorder treatment facilities
• Clinic-based settings like ambulatory care, urgent care clinics, dialysis centers, Federally Qualified Health Centers, family planning sites, and opioid treatment programs
• Community-based health care settings including Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly, and pediatric and adult medical day care programs
• Licensed home health agencies and registered health care service firms operating within the state
• State and county correctional facilities
• Secure care facilities and residential community homes operated by the Juvenile Justice Commission
• Licensed community residences for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Licensed community residences for adults with mental illness
• Certified day programs for individuals with IDD and TBI; and
• Group homes and psychiatric community homes licensed by DCF 
  
  For purposes of this Order, workers are defined as:
  Full and part-time employees
  Contractors
  Other individuals working in the covered setting, including individuals providing operational, custodial, or administrative support 

Health care facilities’ covered workers will have until January 27, 2022, to obtain their first dose of the primary series of a COVID-19 vaccination and submit proof that they are up to date with their vaccination by February 28, 2022, which includes having completed their primary series and any booster shots for which they are eligible. This timeline is consistent with the Biden Administration’s vaccine mandate for health care settings.  

High-risk congregate care covered workers will have until February 16, 2022 to obtain their first dose of the primary series of a COVID-19 vaccination and submit proof that they are up to date with their vaccination by March 30, 2022.