Travel Guidance

The Safer Federal Workforce Task Force has issued extensive travel guidance that is located at Travel | Safer Federal Workforce. This includes but is not limited to guidance if an employee develops probable or confirmed COVID-19 while on official or local travel and if a federal employee has come in close contact with someone who has confirmed COVID-19 while on official or local travel.

Regardless of vaccination status, BSA employees cannot go on official travel if they have an active case of COVID-19. Employees are to adhere strictly to CDC, state, and local guidelines before, during, and after travel, regardless of whether the travel is personal or for official business. The CDC has provided guidance on travel for fully vaccinated people.

BSA employees, regardless of vaccination status, can go on official travel using the normal organizational approval processes. Official domestic and international travel for employees will be conducted in accordance with applicable CDC guidance and the January 21, 2021, Executive Order Promoting COVID-19 Safety in Domestic and International Travel.

Approval to travel varies when employees have had a known close contact with someone who has COVID-19:

• If BSA employees are not “up to date” with vaccination requirements and are recommended to quarantine for 5 days after the close contact, they may not go on official travel for the 5 days after the close contact pursuant to Executive Order 13991 and consistent with CDC guidance. Please see the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force FAQs on travel for additional guidance on how to proceed regarding approval to travel on days 6 – 10.
• If BSA employees are “up to date” with vaccination requirements and therefore not recommended by the CDC to quarantine after exposure but have not had confirmed COVID-19 within the previous 90 days, they may only go on mission critical travel during days 1 – 5 after the close contact. They may go on official travel through the normal organizational approval processes to travel on days 6 – 10 provided the individual tests negative no more than 1 day before travel and wears a high-quality mask when around others for the duration of the travel that falls within the 10 days after the last close contact.
• If BSA employees are “up to date” with vaccination requirements and therefore not recommended by the CDC to quarantine after exposure and have had confirmed COVID-19 within the previous 90 days, they may go on official travel through the normal organizational approval processes to travel on days 1 – 10 provided the individual wears a high quality mask when around others for the duration of the travel that falls within the 10 days after the last close contact.

For domestic travel, BSA employees must follow CDC guidance, in addition to state, federal, and local requirements during travel. They must also monitor their symptoms after travel. If symptoms develop, they must isolate themselves and notify the OMC.

For international travel, prior to arrival in the United States, all air passengers coming to the United States, including U.S. citizens and fully vaccinated people, are required to follow CDC guidance before they board a flight to the United States.

BSA employees may use their travel card for payment of COVID-19 tests recommended or required prior to or following travel. The travel costs for required COVID tests may be reimbursed as a miscellaneous travel expense. If a traveler cannot use the travel card due to a blockage on the card, the traveler can be reimbursed via the travel voucher, with a receipt for the test.