All of San Francisco's city workers will be required to get COVID-19 vaccine

ByMelanie Woodrow KGO logo

Friday, June 25, 2021

San Francisco city workers required to get vaccinated

San Francisco's 35,000 city workers will be required to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

SAN FRANCISCO -- San Francisco city employees will soon be required to report their current vaccination status and show proof of vaccination.

The city says the new mandate is to protect employees and the public as the city reopens services and returns more employees to the workplace.

Mayor London Breed says San Francisco has been a leader in the pandemic with more than 80% of residents getting vaccinated.

The city sent a survey to all city employees; approximately 55% reported being vaccinated, approximately 5% said they have not and the rest did not respond.

"I had to think about our workforce, I had to think about the public and what I was subjecting the public to and it was important for me to make sure that we set an example with our workforce," said Mayor Breed.

City employees have until July 29 to report their status and no later than 10 weeks after the FDA gives final approval to at least one COVID-19 vaccine to get vaccinated.

"I think most people understand it, most of our workers are vaccinated, they understand the science," said Supervisor Matt Haney.

The new policy will mandate vaccinations for all city employees including police officers.

San Francisco Police Officers Association Vice President Tracy McCray says officers do have some questions and concerns.

"Basically it's the privacy information, just that whatever is given by the officers to the city that it's safe and it stays out of prying eyes," said McCray.

Employees with a medical condition or restriction verified by a medical provider or those with a sincerely held religious belief may request a reasonable accommodation to be excused from the vaccination requirement.

Failure to comply with the policy may result in discipline up to and including termination.

"That was shocking to people," said Dante King, Co-Founder of The Black Employees Alliance and Coalition Against Anti-Blackness.

"We know already that Black employees are disproportionately disciplined at the city and county of San Francisco with everything from reprimands to suspensions to terminations," said King.

King says the mandate will exacerbate that.

Mayor Breed has said the city will look at any reasons someone doesn't get vaccinated on a case-by-case basis.

For unvaccinated employees or employees the city does not have documentation from, the city must enforce masking, provide COVID-19 testing following a close contact in the workplace or anytime they have COVID-19 symptoms and exclude employees from the workplace for at least 10 days after a close contact.

VACCINE TRACKER: How California is doing, when you can get a coronavirus vaccine

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