Seventeen employees in San Francisco's police, fire and sheriff's departments could soon be suspended by the city's human resources department for failing to disclose their COVID-19 vaccination status before last week's deadline.
The Department of Human Resources confirmed in an email to KCBS Radio on Thursday that the city recommended 10-day unpaid suspensions in letters sent to eight employees in the police department, seven in the fire department and two others in the sheriff's department who haven't told the city whether or not they've been vaccinated. City employees were required to tell the city whether or not they’d been vaccinated by Aug. 12.
The San Francisco Chronicle, which obtained a copy of the letter, reported Thursday that hundreds of city employees could receive the same letters next week. While the human resources department is still determining which ones will, the paper reported workers in the Department of Public Health and the Municipal Transit Agency might receive letters.
San Francisco will eventually require all city employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Director Carol Isen told KCBS Radio last month the rule will be enforced 10 weeks after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration "finally approves one of the vaccinations." Currently, the two-shot Moderna, Pfizer and one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccines are approved in the U.S. under an emergency authorization for everyone aged 12 or older.
The city is contending with an increase in COVID-19 cases, largely among unvaccinated residents, due the ease with which the highly contagious delta variant spreads. Data indicates the vaccines are safe and remain effective preventing hospitalizations and death from the virus.
The union representing San Francisco sheriff's deputies said earlier this month that vaccine mandates would lead to a wave of resignations in the department and, generally, among workers in law enforcement. About 16% of the department was unvaccinated as of Aug. 6, according to city data obtained by the Chronicle.
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