A Democratic lawmaker from Northern Calfornia's East Bay is calling for better protections for employers that require their workers get vaccinated from the coronavirus. Assemblymember Buffy Wicks said she wants to see the law changed to help combat the recent surge in COVID-19 cases.
“I’m exploring legislation that would make it crystal clear that employers can require vaccination status,” Wicks said.
Wicks (D-Oakland) told KNX In Depth on Thursday that a vaccination mandate would be a sign the state is taking the virus seriously.
“If you look at the cases in hospitals, it’s almost 100% people that are unvaccinated,” she said. “We need to decide if we are taking this seriously or not.”
The decision to grant employers more protections comes amid what Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer called a “surge” in new cases on Wednesday.
Ferrer noted the uptick in cases was caused by a combination of the Delta variant and intermingling of unmasked people who may or may not be vaccinated.
As demands for vaccinations slowed, Gov. Gavin Newsom and other top state leaders have stopped short of calling for mandates, relying on persuasion and outreach efforts to get more people vaccinated.
According to Wicks, the state needs to do more to increase the number of vaccinated people.
“We need to have all ideas on the table right now because we’ve sort of reached a ceiling in terms of vaccinations,” she said.
Wicks said she thinks Californians who refuse to get shots are being selfish. Wicks is not alone in believing vaccination mandates could help the state's case numbers.
Pasadena became the first city in Southern California to require its city employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccination on Tuesday. Pasadena City Manager Steven Mermell said his decision to implement the policy was based on news of a recent outbreak of coronavirus cases among city employees.
San Francisco instituted a similar policy for municipal employees. When it comes to private companies, AARP reported that an increasing number of nursing homes already require their staff to be vaccinated.
According to recent guidance from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, employers have the right to mandate coronavirus vaccines.
Wicks told KNX that businesses asking patrons to confirm their vaccination status could boost confidence.
“I think you can turn this into a benefit to businesses,” she said. “People would feel safer going to the gym. They feel safer going to the movie theater if they know vaccinations are being required (for admission).”