New York's unvaccinated city workers face firing on deadline day

[NEW YORK] About 4,000 unvaccinated New York City employees, including police officers, teachers and firefighters, face termination on Friday (Feb 11).

Jobs are at risk for about 3,000 workers who took unpaid leave instead of getting vaccinated when the city's mandate took effect in October, as well as about 1,000 recent hires who haven't submitted documentation of their second shots.

About 95 per cent of the 370,000 city workers have received at least one dose. In a press conference on Thursday, Mayor Eric Adams characterised the employees' termination as "quitting," saying that they're choosing to leave their jobs by not following the rules.

As US officials attempt to boost the national 64 per cent vaccination rate, they have tried to require that large workforces protect themselves.

The Biden administration ordered all federal workers to get shots, but a judge blocked the rule in January. Other major cities have also required employees to get vaccinated, including Chicago and San Diego.

Former New York Mayor Bill de Blasio required workers in private businesses to get at least 1 dose of the vaccine starting Dec 27. After Adams took office in January, he promised to keep the mandate in place.

But more than 2 dozen unions this week sued over the requirement for municipal workers, including the Police Benevolent Association, the United Federation of Teachers and the Uniformed Fire Officers Association.

Several unions first took legal action when the city announced the mandates. De Blasio's administration negotiated an agreement with some groups in November that allowed members to stay on unpaid leave and keep health benefits until June if they dropped their lawsuits.

A consensus wasn't reached for other unions, including those for police and firefighters, leaving workers to decide: get vaccinated by Friday or get fired.

The city said on Wednesday that 89 per cent of NYPD employees have received at least 1 dose, and the Department of Education single-dose vaccination rate is 96 per cent.

The Police Benevolent Association, which represents officers, said in a statement that the group has "fought to make the vaccine available to every member who chooses it," while also protecting their personal decisions.

Another group to join the lawsuit against the city, the United Federation of Teachers, said that about 700 members were sent notices for termination.

"These individuals cannot be terminated without due process," the union said in a statement on Wednesday. BLOOMBERG