Kimball International, OFS Brands, Indiana Furniture, Versteel and Jasper Group today jointly announced their plans for complying with the COVID-19 vaccine mandate as providers of furniture products to the U.S. federal government.
The Federal Government issued an executive order on September 9, 2021, which requires federal contractors, subcontractors, and their employees to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or have an approved religious or medical exemption by December 8, 2021.
“We fully respect that our collective workforce may have different perspectives related to
COVID-19 and the vaccine, but we must comply with these requirements as a part of our federal contracts,” said Max Verkamp, President and CEO of Indiana Furniture.
“The federal government has been a long-standing and strategically important customer to each of our businesses,” said Scott Schwinghammer, President of Versteel and Ditto Sales, Inc. “Our organizations have spent decades building expertise in providing furniture solutions for a vast array of federal government environments including offices, medical and educational centers.”
Each company will begin working with employees immediately to verify compliance or discuss potential exemptions to ensure the government’s requirements are met by December 8.
“As leaders of long-standing businesses in Dubois County, it’s important for each of our companies to share our plans to comply with this mandate with our home town communities,” said Kristie Juster, CEO of Kimball International. “Our communities depend on our ability to make the decisions that ensure furniture manufacturing remains strong for generations to come,” added Mike Wagner, President and CEO of Jasper Group.
The companies remain committed to prioritizing the health and safety of all employees.
“We may work for different companies, but we’re all a part of one community,” said Hank Menke President and CEO of OFS Brands Inc. “We need to look out for the people of our communities so all of our businesses here in Dubois County continue to thrive.”
