The Biden administration offered new guidelines Monday for federal contractors who are required to have fully vaccinated workforces by Dec. 8.

The new information says contractors don’t have to fire employees who miss the deadline. Instead, employers may offer counseling on the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine or take other disciplinary action before termination.

A report from Politico before the new guidelines were announced said that some federal contractors may consider dropping their contracts as the deadline approaches.

“I am confident but with heavy heart recognize a vaccine mandate will mean less capacity for the government as a customer of freight,” the American Trucking Association’s Bill Sullivan told the outlet. “It has the potential to seriously impact military readiness.”

The Cargo Airline Association has asked the White House to push the deadline into next year, to give them more flexibility during the busy holiday season and to avoid putting additional tension on the troubled supply chain.

Public health officials have repeatedly said that vaccine mandates work and are partially responsible for slowing the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant.

Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kristen Heller