NYC grants hundreds of COVID vaccine exemptions to school staff, report says
STATEN ISLAND, NY – More than 500 staff at New York City public schools have been granted a mandate exemption from the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine, according to a recent report from the New York Daily News.
The city’s Department of Education (DOE) on Friday granted medical and religious exemptions to 530 staff for the mandate that requires every public school employee to receive the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by the next day. in late September, the media outlet reported.
Requests for exemptions were due last week and reviewed by staff at DOE central offices, according to the Daily News. Officials said they were still reviewing some requests on Friday and more exemptions could be granted.
The DOE did not provide a breakdown of exemptions for medical or religious reasons. He also did not say how many people had requested an exemption, the Daily News reported.
Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Teachers’ Federation (UFT), said on Friday that around 3,000 members had requested an exemption. Mark Cannizzaro, chairman of the Board of Supervisors and Administrators (CSA), the union representing principals and administrators of public schools in the city, said about 150 of its members applied, according to the outlet.
Accommodations were also made for educators who were vaccinated but were unable to generate enough antibodies to protect them from the virus, but the DOE did not immediately say whether these employees were included in the number 530, a reported the New York Daily News.
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced in August that every DOE employee will need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 this school year. It includes teachers, principals, guards, administrative staff, food service workers, school security officers, central office staff, those working in charter schools, and pre-kindergarten teachers working in community organizations under contract with the DOE.
The original deadline for employees to get the jab was Monday.
However, a temporary injunction was placed on the warrant on Friday evening. It was filed following a federal lawsuit filed by a group of New York City teachers seeking to block the requirement, and will be heard by a three-member panel of the Court of Appeals for United States Wednesday, September 29.
The temporary injunction will remain in effect until the appeal has been decided, which would come as early as Wednesday’s hearing. While the temporary injunction remains in place, the DOE stressed that its current mandate of “vax-or-test” remains in effect and that it seeks a “speedy resolution by the Circuit Court …”.
The DOE said more than 82% of its employees have been vaccinated.
SEPARATE PURSUIT
Last Wednesday, a Manhattan State Supreme Court judge responding to a separate lawsuit, decided to lift the temporary injunction on the city’s vaccination mandate.
“The applicants will be unable to establish a probability of final success on the merits,” detailed Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Laurence Love, who presided over the case. He added that “[the petitioners] will also be unable to prevail in a balance of actions, as the health interests of the general public far outweigh the interests of petitioners. “
In the decision, Love noted that the city provided a path for “reasonable accommodation otherwise required by law.”
A final ruling on that trial is expected later this week, although given Wednesday’s Supreme Court ruling, it seems likely that the warrant will stand.
‘VERY LITTLE’ EXEMPTIONS
The mayor said last week that the city had so far seen “very few” requests for medical and religious exemptions, but did not provide the exact number of those received.
Initially, the city refused to negotiate exemptions with the United Federation of Teachers (UFT), which requested state mediation. An independent adjudicator ultimately ruled that employees could apply for medical and religious exemptions.
Additionally, the arbitrator ruled that other staff reluctant to get vaccinated should be offered either unpaid leave that would maintain their health coverage, or severance pay.
The leave without pay will last until September 2022, according to the arbitrator’s decision. While staff taking unpaid leave will have their salaries withheld, the city will maintain its medical insurance coverage.
“These teachers will get their jobs back and their payroll back if and when they decide to get vaccinated. If they have not been vaccinated at the end of this leave, the system will assume that they have resigned, ”the UFT said in a statement.
Staff members who refuse to accept unpaid leave should be offered severance pay that would include payment for unused sick days, as well as health insurance until the end of the school year, according to decision. They would also have the right to ask to return to the city’s schools in the future.
Unvaccinated teachers who refuse all options will be subject to disciplinary proceedings.