NYPD officers who have refused to take the COVID-19 jab will face termination if they don’t comply by a new February deadline.
A Sunday night letter from the Sergeants Benevolent Association explained the updated guidance to the city’s municipal worker COVID-19 jab mandate.
New hires in the department and unvaccinated officers currently on unpaid leave have until February 11th to show they’re fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
NYPD officers who refused the shot were placed on unpaid leave on November 1st following a citywide COVID-19 jab mandate for all municipal employees.
However, about 5,000 unvaccinated officers waiting for religious or medical exemptions remained on the force while their applications were considered, as long as they underwent weekly testing.
Unvaccinated NYPD officers will be fired next month if they don’t get the jab, the Daily News has learned.https://t.co/d6qtKMNClr
— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) January 31, 2022
Unvaccinated NYPD police officers currently on unpaid leave after a sweeping COVID-19 vaccine mandate late last year will be fired next month if they don’t get the shot.https://t.co/zdLf6MGihT
Police officers who have refused the shot have until Feb. 11th to comply.— NYC EMS Watch (@NYCEMSwatch) January 31, 2022
A New York City activist received a copy of the Sergeants Benevolent Association letter from an NYPD officer:
The New York Post reported:
With regard to the NYPD, new hires in the department who haven’t shown proof of a second dose and those who were placed on unpaid leave for initially failing to comply with the October 2021 mandate face termination if they aren’t fully vaccinated by Feb. 11.
It’s unclear how many cops will be affected by the updated deadline. Four detectives represented by the Detectives’ Endowment Association are on unpaid leave for failing to comply with the mandate, according to a letter from the union’s president, Paul DiGiacomo.
On Monday, the NYPD is expected to notify the unvaccinated cops who are in jeopardy of getting fired, SBA President Vincent Vallelong said in his letter.
A separate deadline is expected to be announced for existing NYPD employees who still haven’t provided proof of a second jab, including those who applied for exemptions but were denied, even after appeal, according to the letter.
New York Daily News added:
The move does not apply to members of the department who have been granted a religious or medical exemption, nor to those who are waiting for their accommodation appeal to be approved, according to the memo. Officers awaiting a decision on their medical or religious exemption will continue to be tested regularly and are expected to wear masks.
Cops who have not yet forked over proof of a second vaccine — barring Johnson and Johnson’s one and done jab — will need to do so or get their second dose, the memo demands. However, the memo states that a termination date for cops out of compliance has not yet been determined.
As noted by the NYC activist, NYPD banded together to mourn the loss of their fellow officer last week in Manhattan.
Why not continue the solidarity to support their unvaccinated colleagues from losing their careers?
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