Roughly 2,300 members of the New York City Fireplace Division claimed they have been sick and did not present as much as work on Monday as the town’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for municipal employees went into effect.
All metropolis employees have been required to have obtained at the least one dose of the vaccine by October 29. City leaders suspect lots of those that did not roll up their sleeves feigned sickness to keep away from being disciplined for failing to adjust to the well being requirement. New York City Mayor Invoice de Blasio mentioned final month that employees who did not get at the least their first shot by the deadline can be positioned on unpaid depart.
FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro mentioned on Monday that firefighters had loads of time to get vaccinated, and he implored those that have but to get jabbed to get their photographs to allow them to return to work. Usually, on any given day fewer than 1,000 division member can be out sick, he mentioned. The FDNY employs about 11,000 uniformed employees.
De Blasio additionally mentioned he believes that most of the 2,300 firefighters who known as in sick have been pretending to be unwell and violating oaths they took to serve the general public.
“This is something we don’t tolerate”
“We have every reason to believe we have a lot of people out there claiming they are sick when they are not,” de Blasio mentioned in a press convention Monday, noting there could possibly be “real consequences” for workers who’re decided to have lied about their well being standing. “This is something we don’t tolerate.”
“It is imperative that everyone come to work and do their job. The taxpayers of this city rely on all of our public services, particularly our first responders,” the mayor added.
Commissioner Nigro agreed that the surge in FDNY members on medical depart is tied to the town’s vaccine mandate taking effect. Up to now, three-quarters of the town’s firefighters are vaccinated, nicely under the 91% price for the town’s 300,000 municipal employees as an entire.
“Since the mandate was issued, our medical leave spiked up and we know that,” Nigro mentioned, noting that roughly 700 individuals a day visited the division’s medical workplace final week.
“The majority of them are unvaccinated. This is completely unacceptable,” he mentioned.
The widespread absences should not affecting the FDNY’s response occasions as a result of firefighters who’re reporting for responsibility are choosing up additional shifts, Nigro mentioned. “Thanks to those stepping up to fill spots, our department is functioning quite well.”
