COVID-19 News & Updates

COVID-19

News and Updates

Vaccine Mandate Hotline

To answer any outstanding questions regarding the COVID-19 vaccine mandate agreement between DC 37 and the City, DC 37 has established a COVID-19 vaccine mandate hotline.

Members can call this dedicated phone line to speak to a representative for assistance. The DC 37 hotline at 212.815.1100 is available Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Updated Guidance on leave policy with respect to City employees to mitigate the risk of the spread of COVID-19 

This updated guidance for city agencies on leave policy with respect to City employees to mitigate the risk of the spread of COVID-19 is effective Dec. 29, 2021, until further notice, and supersedes the Sept. 13, 2021, guidance.

Updated City Leave Policy During Coronavirus Outbreak >>

FREE
At-Home COVID-19 Test Kits

Residential households in the U.S. now can order one set of 4 free at-home tests from USPS.com. There is a limit of one order per residential address. One order includes four individual rapid antigen COVID-19 tests, and orders will ship free starting in late January. To place your order, go to https://special.usps.com/testkits >>

Testing Sites Exclusively for City Employees >>       
Testing Site for General Public >>       
Find a Vaccination Site >>           

Vaccine Mandate Update from the Municipal Labor Committee

Since the filing of the Improper Practice Charge against the City for failure to bargain implementation of its latest vaccine mandate there have been bargaining sessions with a number of groups. These sessions have also have produced discussion with the City focusing on the unfairness of the short timeframe to deal with the hastily-issued mandate. The most recent discussions benefited from the involvement of Marty Scheinman. With Marty’s assistance, we have arrived at the following:

  • Given the uncertainty swirling around effective dates, the City will allow those who filed medical or religious exemption/accommodation requests through 11:59 p.m. on November 2nd to be included within the group that will remain on payroll through either the City agency or independent Scheinman appeal process (previous cutoff was Oct. 27th and, as set out below, only allowed for continuation of pay if the employee chose the City agency appeal path);

  •  Employees will be able to file new exemption/accommodation requests today through 11:59 p.m. on Friday, November 5th; those who file during this period will remain on payroll through the agency determination of the request, not through the appeal process (this opportunity was foreclosed by the prior Order). If an appeal is granted, the employee will be paid retroactive to the date of the agency determination.

  • For appeals of agency denials of exemption/accommodation requests, there will be two separate processes, the City “statutory” one and the independent Scheinman group, but now both will be treated the same; that is, for employees who filed for exemption/accommodation by November 2, workers will remain on payroll through determination of appeal under either path (previously, the City was not allowing employees to remain on payroll if they chose the independent Scheinman path); and

  • For those workers who were placed on leave without pay as of November 1, but get their first vaccine by 11:59 p.m. this Friday, November 5, Scheinman will have jurisdiction to meet and discuss with the City and Unions how their period of unpaid status should be addressed.

For those Unions interested in going forward on this basis, these provisions will be folded into a Memorandum of Agreement, one for Civilian Unions and one for Uniformed Unions (the difference being the separation incentive since Uniformed workers have unlimited sick leave), that OLR will provide this afternoon. As contemplated, the process is modeled on the initial Scheinman Arbitration Award for the DOE unions (including leave of absence and separation incentives with continued healthcare through June 30, 2022), with the modifications highlighted above, and other changes regarding a potentially broader view of exceptions under the City appeal path and a waiver of certain aspects of further appeal from the Scheinman appeal path. We will have recommendations from the lawyers on the full MOA once received. Given the new opportunities for members this week, you are urged to consider all this promptly and get the word out as appropriate.

CONNOV. 4, 2021: Executed DC 37 Vaccine Mandate MOA >>>

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