CONNECT with the CitySan Diego Mayor Todd Gloria
City of San Diego Reaches 90% COVID-19 Vaccination Rate After Mandate
WEEKLY COVID-19 TESTING WILL BE REQUIRED FOR UNVACCINATED STAFF GRANTED REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION UNDER LAW
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, March 21, 2022
CONTACT:
Nicole Darling at 619-379-8377 or ndarling@sandiego.gov
SAN DIEGO With 90% of its workforce now vaccinated, the City of San Diego has announced plans to accommodate City employees who requested religious or medical exemptions to the Citys Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Policy.
Approximately 790 employees will receive notices starting this week that their requests for reasonable accommodation were approved. City departments will accommodate these employees by providing free weekly COVID-19 testing at the workplace to ensure the protection of employees and members of the public. Employees who refuse to comply with the weekly testing regimen will be subject to termination.
Before we instituted the vaccine mandate, just 69% of City employees were vaccinated, and Im incredibly proud the vaccination rate is now over 90%, said Mayor Todd Gloria. Its unquestionably to the publics benefit for City employees to stay healthy and on the job, safely serving residents, and I am committed to maintaining policies that protect San Diegans. Im grateful to our employees for joining me in this effort.
Last year, the City mandated that all employees become fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Dec. 1, 2021, as a condition of employment. Employees who refused to get vaccinated were provided the option to apply for a reasonable accommodation for medical or religious exemption to the Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Policy. These exemption requests were reviewed on a case-by-case basis, as required by law.
Applications are still under review for approximately 200 employees who submitted requests for reasonable accommodation.
In reviewing requests for accommodation, the Citys Human Resources Department ensures compliance under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, and follows guidance from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing.
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