HARTFORD, Conn. (WCBS 880) -- Hundreds of Connecticut workers faced the possibility of unpaid leave for failing to meet Gov. Ned Lamont’s Monday deadline to comply with the state’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate.
Lamont updated the latest numbers in terms of where executive branch state employees stand in line with his mandate on getting vaccinated or submitting to weekly testing.
He said that about 2,200 workers are noncompliant — which is about 7% of the overall workforce. More than 23,000 (76%) are fully vaccinated, while around 5,000 (17%) will submit to tests.
Lamont’s office said it expected most of the remaining noncompliant employees to submit documentation to the state by the end of the day, and that there would be overall minimal impact.
Lamont last week ordered the Connecticut National Guard to be on standby, should they be needed to ensure critical public health and safety needs are met in the event of a larger worker shortage.
“I don’t think it’s going to be necessary, though,” he said.
The governor has said unpaid suspensions could start Tuesday and would go into effect no later than Oct. 11.
The mandate applies to only the executive branch though the judicial branch is following a similar process, and the legislative branch is forming a plan.
Several private health care systems also had recent deadlines for their employees to be vaccinated or show proof they were being regularly tested for the virus.
Officials at Hartford HealthCare said that like the state, it is still analyzing the data, with many employees choosing to wait until just before the Oct. 1 deadline to submit their paperwork.
But Dr. Ajay Kumar, that system’s chief clinical officer, said it believes 99% of employees are in compliance, leaving about 300 facing suspensions.
“We remain hopeful that people will choose to stay in health care and with Hartford HealthCare,” he said.