The Los Angeles Unified School District is making one thing very clear for employees - without proof of vaccination, paychecks will stop by Oct. 15.
District employees were notified about the vaccination deadline in early August, making LAUSD one of the first in the United States to require vaccinations for employment.
The requirement does not just apply to teachers and staff though, the L.A. Times reports, it will also affect anyone who is regularly on campus and interacting with staff and students.
Even with the deadline just 15 days away, there are still thousands of employees who have not set up appointments or gotten the COVID-19 vaccine.
So far, about one in five district employees have not begun the immunization process, the L.A. Times reported.
Jackie Goldberg, an LAUSD school board member, said the district is willing to work with employees who are open to getting vaccinated but have been holding out for one reason or another. She said she believes a majority of them will come around.
“If I were a betting person I think we would get to like, about 98 or even 99 percent vaccination,” Goldberg said. “I really do, because mainly we are not hearing about large, organized resistance.”
Unless they have an approved religious or medical exemption, all school district employees must show proof of vaccination in order to receive their paycheck after Oct. 15.
LAUSD’s Oct. 15 deadline is in line with the state’s deadline for all teachers and school staff to be vaccinated by the same date, or face weekly COVID-19 testing.
Governor Gavin Newsom announced the requirement on Aug. 11 “to give parents confidence that their children are safe as schools return to full, in-person learning.”
Student vaccination deadlines
Students in the district also face a deadline to show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination. On Sept. 9 the district said all eligible students ages 12 and older will be required to show proof of vaccination by Jan. 10, 20222, “unless they have a medical or other exemption.”
All proof of vaccination must be uploaded into the Los Angeles Unified’s Daily Pass system.
“The science is clear – vaccinations are an essential part of protection against COVID-19,” Interim Superintendent Megan K. Reilly said.
“The COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective and requiring eligible students to be vaccinated is the strongest way to protect our school community.”
The district has not released figures on how many employees or students are requesting or receiving exemptions, according to the L.A. Times.
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