More than a year after the Los Angeles City Council lifted the city's declaration of emergency related to the coronavirus, council members Tuesday are expected to vote to end the policy requiring municipal employees to be vaccinated for COVID-19.
Council members will consider a proposed ordinance that would terminate its COVID-19 vaccination policy for all current and future city workers retroactive to June 2, as recommended by the city's Executive Employee Relations Committee.
In addition, the ordinance would establish a pathway back to employment for city workers who had been terminated for not adhering to the policy, and others who may have left voluntarily.
Matt Szabo, the city administrative officer, told City News Service the sunset date was agreed upon by the unions representing the city's workers, who also helped the council when it enacted the vaccination policy in 2021.
The provision regarding re-employment is expected to assist some 86 workers, who had been terminated for non-compliance with the policy. Szabo noted many other workers left, but the city did not have an exact number this provision may affect because workers are not required to disclose their reasoning for departure.
Workers who left or were terminated due to the policy can reapply for their position, but it is not guaranteed they'll get it. Department management would handle the hiring process, as usual.
The city of Los Angeles withdrew its declaration of emergency due to COVID-19 in February 2023. In May 2023, the federal government also declared an end to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
In 2023, several Southern California cities also phased out a requirement for workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment, including Long Beach, San Diego, and Pasadena. In addition, Los Angeles County, Orange County and the University of California system as well as the Los Angeles Unified School District also ended that requirement.
Szabo noted that, in part, the decision to terminate the policy took time because it was such a substantial effort to initiate the mandate. City leaders wanted to proceed with caution before ending the requirement, he added.
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