Hi everyone, it’s Kevin. Today is Wednesday, October 27th (date recorded).
As you well know, the federal government recently released COVID-19 Workplace Safety Guidance, which includes a COVID-19 vaccination mandate for all employees of covered federal contractors. For those of us here at EB, that mandate becomes effective when our direct customer—the Navy—provides us with contractual modifications that require us to implement it.
While I know the lack of clarity is frustrating for some, I also recognize that implementing the mandate before it is necessary could be disruptive to some of you and to our business. Therefore, we have chosen to stay the course and not implement a vaccine mandate at EB until we have further clarification from the government. We are working with the Navy to get that.
For those already vaccinated, I thank you for taking action to protect yourself and others. If you are not yet vaccinated, I urge you to do so. After you have been vaccinated, please send an email to proofofcovidvaccination@gdeb.com with your name and badge number in the subject line. Please attach a valid proof of vaccination, like a scanned image of a vaccine card or medical record. Having this information on file will make implementing a mandate much smoother when the time comes.
Medical experts, including our own doctors, say that being vaccinated provides protection against potential infection with COVID-19 and lowers the likelihood of serious illness or hospitalization if you do get a breakthrough infection. To date, more than 414 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been given in the United States. According to the CDC, these vaccines are safe and effective, and meet the Food and Drug Administration’s rigorous scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality needed to support approval or authorization of a vaccine.
In the very early stages of the pandemic, we stood up a COVID task force, which was a cross-functional team including representatives from across the company. This team is still working and has acquired sufficient stock of vaccines and has plans in place to ensure we can move out quickly when and if the mandate is invoked. These plans include making provisions for religious and medical exemptions. In a while, Andrew Bond from Human Resources will provide some additional details on those exemptions.
We will provide more information about when and how our rollout will be put in motion. I recognize there are timelines for the various vaccines, and depending on the vaccine you choose, we are at or nearing the date to receive your first shot. We will determine deadlines when we receive Navy direction.
I’ve received messages from many of you about your concerns about what the coming weeks will bring. Throughout the pandemic, my guiding principle, and that of the EB senior leadership team, has been consistent—keep everyone as safe as we reasonably can while staying focused on designing, building and maintaining the submarines our nation needs. To date, we have worked together to keep our workforce safe and achieve our mission, and our intention is to continue this principle-guided approach.
Thank you for your continued focus on our mission. We’ll talk again soon.
Rayha Report Ep. 20: 2026 EB Signing Days
Electric Boat held recent Signing Day ceremonies at Cranston West High School on May 21 and the Garde Arts Center in New London on May 28. EB President Mark Rayha spoke with students about their decision to join EB and educators who prepare their students for careers in shipbuilding. Click here to see the latest installment of the Rayha...Continue reading→
Save the Date: CT Health Fairs Kick Off June 9
A Message From Dan Vieira and Kathleen Heller At EB, Safety and Wellness go far beyond meeting basic compliance standards. Our focus is on building a culture where employees can thrive in every aspect of their lives. Prioritizing wellbeing is vital to being our best on the job and at home with our families. ...Continue reading→
Supporting Our Neighbors Impacted by The Ledges Apartments Fire
Early Sunday morning, a devastating fire occurred at The Ledges Apartments in Groton. Eighteen fire departments, including Electric Boat’s, responded. Thanks to the heroism of these first responders no residents were injured. The fire did, however, displace more than approximately 50 residents and destroyed or damaged 44 units in the building. Several EB employees were...Continue reading→
Pride Month Celebrations at Electric Boat
June 1st marks the start of Pride Month, a time for millions of LGBTQ+ individuals and allies around the world to come together in celebration and reflection. From film festivals and art shows, to marches and concerts, Pride is a vibrant tribute to LGBTQ+ culture, history and the relentless spirit of activism. It’s a chance...Continue reading→
Celebrating Our Next Generation of Shipbuilders
The Next Generation of Shipbuilders Takes the Stage Over the past two weeks, Electric Boat welcomed the next generation of shipbuilders at our Rhode Island and Connecticut Signing Day celebrations, marking the beginning of a journey that will help shape the future of our company and our nation’s defense. Held at Cranston High School West...Continue reading→
Update: Gold Star Bridge Project – Upcoming Traffic Impacts
CT DOT is preparing to enter the next major phase of the Gold Star Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project, and employees should expect new traffic patterns that may affect travel to and from EB’s Groton and New London facilities. A crossover will direct two northbound lanes onto the southbound bridge, as shown in this CT DOT...Continue reading→
PCU Utah Floats Off
PCU Utah (SSN 801) floated off the pontoon in Graving Dock #3 on Sunday, May 17, her hull seeing water for the first time. Huge congratulations to every Electric Boat shipbuilder whose hard work and dedication brought Utah to this major milestone!
Pathways to the Deep Officially Opens at Mystic Aquarium
On Monday, May 11th, we officially cut the ribbon on Pathways to the Deep, a brand-new interactive exhibit at Mystic Aquarium that connects ocean science, technology, exploration and careers through hands-on learning and discovery. This collaborative effort between General Dynamics Electric Boat, Mystic Aquarium, the Submarine Industrial Base and Build Submarines was created to spark curiosity and...Continue reading→
Electric Boat featured in ADC’s ‘Homefront’ Video Series
General Dynamics Electric Boat is featured in the latest episode of the Association of Defense Communities’ (ADC) Homefront video series, which examines military communities across the country. The episode highlights Electric Boat’s long-standing partnership with the U.S. Navy, the generations of shipbuilders who power our mission and the opportunities ahead for the next wave of...Continue reading→
Rayha Report Ep. 19: Operations Leadership Hiring Initiative
In his latest Rayha Report, EB President Mark Rayha speaks with Chief of Talent Acquisition Meredith Kyle on the ways the company is boosting operations leadership hiring. Joining them is Konrad Wennberg and Mike Simmons, who provide insight on their internal moves from engineering to operations supervisor positions.
