NYC employees on unpaid leave after COVID-19 vaccine deadline passes

About 9,000 New York City employees are on unpaid leave after the deadline to be vaccinated against COVID-19 passed.

The city had a vaccine mandate that took effect Monday, The Associated Press reported.

The 9,000 employees account for about 6% of the city’s workforce, WABC reported.

Thousands of New York City firefighters have also called in sick to protest the mandate, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

But de Blasio said that while thousands of people are off the job, about 9 out of 10 city workers have been vaccinated against the coronavirus.

That includes more than 22,400 new vaccinations since the mandate was announced and more than 3,500 vaccines after Friday’s deadline, WABC reported.

He also said that there has been no disruption of services despite potential staffing issues, the AP reported.

All firehouses are open but 18 units are out of service and others are understaffed, de Blasio said.

Some unvaccinated employees are still working as exemption requests and other accommodations are pending. They will be tested weekly, WABC reported.

More coronavirus pandemic coverage:

Rangers find body of hiker missing in Rocky Mountain National Park