Dozens of NYPD employees placed on unpaid leave after vaccine mandate goes into effect
| November 01, 2021
Several dozen employees with the New York Police Department were placed on unpaid leave after not complying with the city’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
With the new rules for the entire municipal workforce going into effect on Monday, 34 police officers and 40 civilian employees with the NYPD were placed on unpaid leave, which makes up roughly less than 0.15% of the force, according to the New York Post.
“That’s very fluid. That could go up as the day goes on,” Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said.
Roughly 6,500 officers have applied for medical or religious exemptions, sources told the news outlet, and are allowed to work as those applications are considered.
“Certainly in the case of denied people, people will choose to get the vaccine,” Shea added.
Democratic New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio released a statement on Oct. 20 extending the citywide vaccine mandate to all employees and taking away the option to test out of the vaccine. The mandate also encouraged citizens to get vaccinated by offering a $500 bonus in their paychecks upon receiving their first jab, proof of which was due on Monday.
The city announced its “Key to NYC ” Pass” on Aug. 16 requiring all patrons to places such as restaurants, museums, and fitness centers to provide proof of vaccination. Following this announcement, the city mandated that teachers and employees and public schools would be required to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, giving a deadline of Sept. 27 for them to show proof of their vaccination status.
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The Police Benevolent Association, the largest police union representing 24,000 officers, announced that it would be suing the city over the “draconian” vaccine mandate.
In a lawsuit filed with the Supreme Court on Staten Island, the union argued the city “provided no explanation” and had violated the “autonomy and privacy of NYPD officers.”
To date, 73% of the city’s population have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 67% have either received a second dose or are considered to be fully vaccinated, according to the city’s health agency website .
