The official announcement comes after Mayor Lightfoot earlier this week announced her intention to issue a warrant for city workers.
Mayor Lightfoot said Wednesday that all city workers must be vaccinated before Oct. 15.
“As COVID-19 cases continue to increase, we need to take all the necessary steps and at our disposal to keep everyone in our city safe and healthy,” Mayor Lightfoot said. “Vaccination has been shown to be the best way to achieve this and make it possible to recover from this devastating pandemic. That is why we have decided to join other municipalities and government agencies across the country, including the U.S. military, who are making that decision to protect the people who keep our cities and countries moving.We have also been in close communication with our labor movement partners to create a viable, fair, and effective vaccination policy. “.
The fully vaccinated requirement means employees will spend two weeks after receiving their second dose of Pfizer or Modern vaccine or two weeks after a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Workers will be asked to submit the test through an online portal. Employees may request a medical or religious exemption, which will be reviewed by the Human Resources Department on a case-by-case basis.
Lightfoot’s earlier announcement earlier this week sparked some backlash from unions representing city workers, including the Chicago Police Fraternal Order.
Chicago Vaccine Mandate: City workers to receive COVID-19 shot, according to Mayor Lori Lightfoot
The four unions representing Chicago police officers, from the base to the captains, met virtually Tuesday with the Lightfoot team to discuss their newly announced vaccine mandate. Police said it appears the plan is being rushed.
“They put in place plans so that they would have no implementation power,” Sgt. Jim Calvino, president of the Chicago Police Sergeant Union. “We’re going to do this, and after we’re ready to start, how, okay, how are we going to implement this, how are we going to get people vaccinated?”
The Fraternal Order of Police has already threatened to file a lawsuit challenging any mandate with union sergeants, lieutenants and captains who are expected to join the fight.
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