CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The city’s vaccine reporting mandate goes into effect Friday, but at least for now, those who have not abided by it will not be punished.
All city employees had until Friday, Oct. 15 to report whether or not they have received the COVID-19 vaccine. And, if it turns out they’re not vaccinated, they will be subjected to twice-weekly testing until they are vaccinated.
Originally, Mayor Lightfoot said anyone who wasn't vaccinated by the deadline would be sent home without pay, but she recently changed course, for now, and said police and other city workers will be allowed to remain on the job.
"My expectation is that people who swore an oath to serve and protect the city are going to honor that oath and they’re going to show up, they’re going to report for duty and they’re going to comply with a legal directive from the city and an order from the police department. Anything less would be insubordination," Mayor Lightfoot said.
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Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara had previously warned the mayor that if police who didn’t report their vaccination status to the city were sent home Friday, the city might have 50 percent police coverage over the weekend.
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The mayor said city employees will eventually be sent home without pay once it’s verified they have not reported whether or not they’re vaccinated, just not Friday or this weekend.
“As you might imagine, it’s gonna take us a little bit of time to make sure that we’ve go information correct. And we want to make sure that we’re reaching out to people who appear not to be in compliance to determine if that’s, in fact, so,” Lightfoot said.
“We want to do belt-and-suspenders on this and give people the benefit of the doubt. But, once we understand that people have not complied with the simple request to say yes or no or that I’m going to take the testing options, then, yes, we will be moving forward and putting people into no-pay status.”
The mayor said the city will report next week what percentage of its workforce has reported its vaccination status. She said those who’ve provided that information and are vaccinated get an extra personal day.
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