The city of Hermosa Beach is the latest in Southern California to adopt a vaccination policy for city workers. City council voted Wednesday to require all city officials, staff, contractors and certain volunteers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Nov. 12.
“We join local governments and businesses throughout the region in doing everything we reasonably can to beat the COVID-19 pandemic,” Hermosa Beach Mayor Justin Massey said in a statement.
The city’s Nov. 12 deadline is based on the council’s previous vote to require all city staff to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus after the the FDA approved the Pfizer vaccine for regular use on Aug. 23. Per the vote Wednesday, vaccination will be a condition of employment following the November deadline.
Council also imposed a second deadline for those who remain unvaccinated ahead of the deadline. In order to work or volunteer at city facilities, unvaccinated staff, city officials, contractors and volunteers will have to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test beginning on Oct. 4, the city said.
“If they test positive for COVID-19, the L.A. County Department of Public Health protocols require them to isolate at home for at least 10 days and to be free of symptoms and fever for at least 24 hours before returning to work.”
For unvaccinated city employees, COVID-19 tests will be provided and paid for by the city beginning next week.
City contractors and volunteers will have to arrange and pay for their own COVID-19 tests and must make sure they meet the city’s standards for testing.
To date, 78 percent of the city’s 161 employees are already vaccinated against COVID-19, according to a statement from Hermosa Beach.
Exemptions
“The new policy includes an opportunity for people with certain medical conditions and disabilities that preclude vaccination or with religious exemptions to seek accommodations with proper documentation,” the city said.
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