Passenger Trains > Amtrak adjusts COVID policies, pushes return-to-work date

Amtrak adjusts COVID policies, pushes return-to-work date

Progressive Railroading
Sept. 22, 2021

Amtrak has revised its company COVID-19 policies to comply with President Joe Biden’s executive order for federal employees.


Biden's action requires all federal employees to be vaccinated by Nov. 22, with no voluntary testing alternative.


The deadline applies to Amtrak employees, "red badge" contractors and any other individuals who regularly work at an Amtrak worksite. For new hires, Amtrak is maintaining an Oct. 4 effective date to show full proof of vaccination before the first day of employment.


Testing is no longer available as an alternative to getting vaccinated, except for medical and religious accommodations. This position is consistent with the federal government’s view that it is essential that everyone who is able must get vaccinated, Amtrak officials said in a news release.


The company has rescheduled its "Return to Worksites" date to Jan. 10, 2022.


"Given that our vaccination mandate is now late November, we feel it makes sense to postpone this return until after the holidays," Amtrak officials said. "[Our] worksites remain open for anyone who wants to return sooner."

https://www.progressiverailroading.com/amtrak/news/Amtrak-adjusts-COVID-policies-pushes-return-to-work-date--64690



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/23/21 01:15 by GenePoon.

Glad you posted it for informational purposes, but Todd will no doubt lock comments when it becomes a partisan battleground in a few hours.

Posted from Android

Well, if staffing is currently an issue, this isn't going to help any. Of course, that's by design.

Posted from Android

grlhughes Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So let me get this straight. All real workers of
> the company must be vacinnated quicker by Nov 22,
> but managers that do little except make all the
> bad decisions (no sightseer cars on the Texas
> Eagle to lowering the ticket prices below
> Greyhound) get to say home a little longer? Yeah
> that seems fair (#eyeroll/sarcasm).

Please elaborate on how managers are jot "real workers"

I wonder how many will quit? I just saw a report that many in law enforcement (both management and other) are quitting because their cities are mandating vaccination. Perhaps that's by design also. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. The nation's workforce is depleted enough already. Anyone tried to dine out on a Monday or buy from the meat counter at a supermarket before noon recently? 

altoonafn Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> grlhughes Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > So let me get this straight. All real workers
> of
> > the company must be vacinnated quicker by Nov
> 22,
> > but managers that do little except make all the
> > bad decisions (no sightseer cars on the Texas
> > Eagle to lowering the ticket prices below
> > Greyhound) get to say home a little longer?
> Yeah
> > that seems fair (#eyeroll/sarcasm).
>
> Please elaborate on how managers are jot "real
> workers"

Well the return to worksite  I guess are office not necessarily managers who are working at home.  I can see it is very important for them to be vaccinated.?
It will be interesting as companies try to return to regular office hours how many of these people will opt for retirement.  I'd think it is easy to put off retirement
if you are working from home and a lot less easy when you have to return to the office after almost 2 years.  Some may have in fact moved where they cannot even return to
office on a regurlar basis.

I have read employees required to go back to the office often look for alternate employment where it is not required.

As far as whether managers are real workers or not I always wonder (not specific to Amtak) when a company trims management say 25% just what a lot of those people were doing.  

From my background a lot of management create more work than they do.  Reports that are never read or acted upon.  Endless meeting and conference calls.  How many times do I hear
someone stuck on a afternoon conference call that has no relevance to them.  Implementing individual goals.  Right - my goal is to last another 5 years and retire.
Etc etc.

Bob



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/23/21 06:32 by robj.

There are employees other than "managers" who I assume are still working remotely.  Technical/accounting/legal/real estate as examples.  Those are "real" workers as well.

Several times on this site, I have seen it stated that Amtrak workers are not federal employees.  If that is the case, then why does Amtrak feel it has to comply with this executive order?

Typhoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Several times on this site, I have seen it stated
> that Amtrak workers are not federal employees.
>  If that is the case, then why does Amtrak feel
> it has to comply with this executive order?

In the following post there is a link to document that
addresses the issue of Amtrak's status as a government entity.
https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?4,5243573,5243573#msg-5243573
 

Englewood Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Typhoon Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Several times on this site, I have seen it
> stated
> > that Amtrak workers are not federal employees.
> >  If that is the case, then why does Amtrak
> feel
> > it has to comply with this executive order?
>
> In the following post there is a link to document
> that
> addresses the issue of Amtrak's status as a
> government entity.
> https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?4,
> 5243573,5243573#msg-5243573

Besides any legal status there is also a political reality, would we expect them do othewise.
Bob
>  

This pandemic is just SO annoying. Maybe if we continue to ignore it, it will go away.

ROAR. SNORT. FART

aehouse Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This pandemic is just SO annoying. Maybe if we
> continue to ignore it, it will go away.
>
> ROAR. SNORT. FART

No it will not go away and we cant ignore it but even Australia has moved into the camp that it is something we may need to "live" with for who knows how long and find reasonable path to do so. 

Bob

 

We need to try to live normally.  The impact on mental health (which one can infer from this site and others) has been tremendous.  People have gotten mean.

I am a college professor with natural immunity (for a month) and I can tell you, the students are a mess.  So are many of the faculty and staff.  Mask rules, one rule here, another there.  The campus is, overall, 90% vaxxed and we are getting breakthrough infections galore.

My daughter is a college student and she joked that she and her friends are convinced the university will kill their families if they violate prototcol.  It is no way to live.  Protect yourself in the way that you feel you should.  Be considerate.  And let the chips fall where they may.

Go buy a train ticket.  It is good for your mental health...I speak from experience.  :-)

Totally agree, and these are also my observations dealing with the public daily. The non stop fear porn being blasted by the talking heads on TV is not helping. About the vaccine, sure seems like a lot of fully vaccinated coworkers and acquaintances are coming down with COVID. After a few days of rest, some chicken noodle soup and they are good as new. The human immune system is amazing.


Chessie1963 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We need to try to live normally.  The impact on
> mental health (which one can infer from this site
> and others) has been tremendous.  People have
> gotten mean.
>
> I am a college professor with natural immunity
> (for a month) and I can tell you, the students are
> a mess.  So are many of the faculty and staff.
>  Mask rules, one rule here, another there.  The
> campus is, overall, 90% vaxxed and we are getting
> breakthrough infections galore.
>
> My daughter is a college student and she joked
> that she and her friends are convinced the
> university will kill their families if they
> violate prototcol.  It is no way to live.
>  Protect yourself in the way that you feel you
> should.  Be considerate.  And let the chips fall
> where they may.
>
> Go buy a train ticket.  It is good for your
> mental health...I speak from experience.  :-)

Posted from Android

the executuve order applies to all employers with 100 or more employees. Amtrak would be covered on that basis

swirsk53 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> the executuve order applies to all employers with
> 100 or more employees. Amtrak would be covered on
> that basis

Some private employers with greater than 100 employees are waiting for OSHA to formalize Biden's order and then challenge it in court. Others are adopting it with a cutoff date after which the un-vaxed employee is terminated. And the protests and response to protests in Australia show how much individual freedom has been lost.

Federal license plates on some Amtrak vehicles.
Doesn't pay state motor fuel taxes.

Posted from Android

cabsignaldrop Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Totally agree, and these are also my observations
> dealing with the public daily. The non stop fear
> porn being blasted by the talking heads on TV is
> not helping. About the vaccine, sure seems like a
> lot of fully vaccinated coworkers and
> acquaintances are coming down with COVID. After a
> few days of rest, some chicken noodle soup and
> they are good as new. The human immune system is
> amazing.
>
Ditto for me.  Wife and I are vaxxed and carrying on our daily lives as we used to.  A little closer attention to good hygeine is what it takes and being smart about very large gatherings has been our secret to success.  As for the media, they can sensationalize all they want.  It's what they're paid to do.

-John

AMTRAK has lost 3 employees/ managers to covid in northern California in the last year so getting a free shot to possibly save my life is a no-brainer.

Proud Foamer
OAKLEY, CA

My employer is one of them. On top of that, we are based in MO, and the Governor is putting something in place to block enforcement in the state. 

All I can say is IF this mandate sticks (I doubt it will, thankfully), this country is screwed, very quickly too. The trucking industry is mostly right leaning, and I can tell you, if this mandate sticks, a LOT of drivers are going to quit. The product shortages you see now are child's play compared to what is to come if Biden keeps pushing.

Cumbresfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> swirsk53 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > the executuve order applies to all employers
> with
> > 100 or more employees. Amtrak would be covered
> on
> > that basis
>
> Some private employers with greater than 100
> employees are waiting for OSHA to formalize
> Biden's order and then challenge it in court.
> Others are adopting it with a cutoff date after
> which the un-vaxed employee is terminated. And the
> protests and response to protests in Australia
> show how much individual freedom has been lost.