Dear Shipbuilders,

Last week, Huntington Ingalls Industries President and CEO Mike Petters notified employees that the federal government extended the vaccination mandate deadline for federal contractors from Dec. 8 to Jan. 4. Based on what we learned from the government over the last 10 days, here is what we know:

• The December 8 deadline no longer applies to federal government contractors, including NNS. As a result, all policies and processes NNS established to help shipbuilders meet the original mandate deadline are being assessed based on new guidance and will be communicated as we learn more.
• We are currently tracking to the new January 4 deadline for the second shot. We continue to encourage full vaccination as we assess further guidance from the government. Our vaccination center will remain open, and 80% of our workforce has been vaccinated through the first shot, making for a safer workplace.

We know this is a confusing and stressful time for everyone. And while new information has come out over the last three weeks, one key message remains the same: We don’t want to lose a single shipbuilder over the federal vaccine mandate.

HII and NNS leadership are working very closely with Navy and other government leaders to fully understand the evolving federal guidance. I remain committed to keeping you informed with updates that are as timely and transparent as possible.

Thank you for your patience and continued focus on our No Fail Mission as we come through what the federal vaccine mandate means for our shipbuilders and our business.

Respectfully,
Jennifer Boykin
President
Newport News Shipbuilding