On Wednesday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced, during an appearance on Morning Joe, a new mandate for all public city employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine and have until November 1 to have their first dose.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced, during an appearance on Morning Joe, a new mandate for all public city employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine and have until November 1 to have their first dose. (Photo: ABC News)
Vaccine Mandate
According to the Washington Post, city employees who are still unvaccinated were given until November 1 before being placed on unpaid leave. People who will get shot at a city-run vaccination site by October 29 will receive an extra $500 in their paycheck as an incentive.
Mayor de Blasio announced that the mandate will be affecting the nation’s largest police department and will immediately impact a total of 160,000 employees, including firefighters. According to the city, 71 percent have already received at least one dose of the vaccine.
NBC News reported that the city has previously mandated vaccines for public school teachers, and the state has previously mandated vaccines for hospital employees.
However, just hours after Mayor de Blasio announced the mandate, the leader of the largest police union has vowed to sue the city. Patrick Lynch, the President of New York’s Police Benevolent Association, called the mandate an infringement of personal rights.
Patrick Lynch, the President of New York’s Police Benevolent Association called the mandate as an infringement of personal rights. (Photo: New York Times)
Vows To Sue The City
“From the beginning of the de Blasio administration’s haphazard vaccine rollout, we have fought to make the vaccine available to every member who chooses it, while also protecting their right to make that personal medical decision in consultation with their own doctor,” said Lynch, the president of New York’s Police Benevolent Association.
The union has decided to proceed with legal action to protect the rights of their members now that the city has decided to move one-sidedly and impose the mandate.
According to Daily Mail, Republican Mayoral Candidate Curtis Sliwa had told them that there had been no problem in terms of those people who cannot be vaccinated for either medical reasons or religious belief to be tested once a week and wonder what the point of the mandate is.
“If they are not vaccinated or can’t be vaccinated, test them. But this just seems like the power that de Blasio wants to exert on his way out.” Sliwa says.
If he were to be elected as Mayor, Sliwa had promised to rehire anyone who would be laid off due to the mandate, and if there is a budget allowed for it, he will compensate them for lost wages.
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