President Joe Biden announced Sept. 9 that federal workers and federal contractors, including Newport News Shipbuilding, will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Newport News Shipbuilding President Jennifer Boykin and Huntington Ingalls Industries President and CEO Mike Petters both sent messages to shipbuilders following the announcement.

“We are evaluating the impact this will have on our operations, and our priorities will continue to focus on keeping our shipbuilders safe and supporting our Navy customer. In anticipation of this directive, we have been developing a vaccination mandate plan that will meet the government’s requirements and keep safety at the forefront,” Boykin wrote.

As a reminder, employees can receive vaccinations at the HII Family Health Center. Call 757-327-4200 to schedule an appointment. Hourly employees are allowed to charge their time if the appointment is during assigned working hours. Salaried employees should flex their time.

Employees vaccinated outside of NNS must self-report their vaccination status in UPoint by logging into www.hiibenefits.com. You must also self-report if you are vaccinated through NNS but are not on an HII medical benefits plan. Unvaccinated employees must self-report and can change their status if vaccinated later.