According to CNN, nearly 9,000 of New York City’s 378,000 employees are now on unpaid leave as a result of not complying with the Covid-19 vaccine mandate for city workers, the mayor said Monday.
As previously reported, firefighters and police officers, in addition to other city workers, had until Friday at 5PM to show proof of at least one dose of the vaccine or exemption.
Though 9,000 are on unpaid leave, Mayor De Blasio stated that 92% of the city’s employees now have at least one dose. It’s also reported that about 2,000 of those employees received their dose within the last 24 hours.
De Blasio also stated that “about 12,000 other employees, meanwhile, have applied for a religious or medical exemption, and can continue to work at least until their case is decided,” CNN also reports.
In addition to unpaid leave, 2,300 firefighters called in sick the same day the mandate went into effect, fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro said at a news conference Monday.
“If you’re sick, you’re sick, it’s a dangerous job. I get it. If you’re not sick, I want to see you back at work,” Nigro said.
NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea stated, “about 85% of the department has had at least one shot as of Monday night,” CNN reports. Though some officers are out on unpaid leave, Shea stated public safety won’t be impacted.
New York City is requiring all city workers to become vaccinated. “Any city worker who does not get vaccinated by the deadline will be placed on unpaid leave. Medical and religious exemptions will be allowed ‘for a small number of employees,’” a city official stated.
Unlike before, weekly testing is no longer an option. This mandate supersedes the city’s mandate earlier this year, which tested city workers weekly to ensure they tested negative for COVID-19.
Roomies, what do you think of this?