City of Quincy mandates masks, requires employee vaccination

The City of Quincy will ssoon require employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

“We’re recommending that vaccinations become a condition of employment, and that employees will have until October 1 to get vaccinated,” Human Resources Director Ann Sherman announced during the city commission meeting on August 10.

After October 1, Sherman said employees will receive two warnings if they don’t comply, before being terminated.

Sherman added, any employee who is not vaccinated after receiving two warnings will be required to provide a medical document stating why they should not get vaccinated, or they will be terminated.

Sherman said as of August 17, was set to begin testing non-vaccinated employees and will continue for 30 days.

Any employees who are still not vaccinated after the 30-day period will be required to test weekly at their own cost, and they must provide documentation.

Employees who are found in violation of this mandate will receive two warnings when detected without a mask, before being terminated.

Mayor Ronte Harris emphasized the city will not be requiring vaccinated employees to wear a mask.

“We’re only encouraging that,” Harris said.

Commissioner Anessa Albritton-Candidate asked if the city’s first responders were considered while devising the COVID-19 implementation plan.

City Manager Jack McLean said that was considered and stated that it was his opinion that terminating employees exactly on October 1, if they are not vaccinated, may not be what’s best for the city.

McLean suggested giving a warning first, and another date to comply by, and if they don’t comply by that date then the city could use the timeframe in between to advertise, recruit and find someone else to fill that position.

According to Interim Quincy Police Chief Robert Mixson, the city has 22 patrol officers and the Police Benevolent Association Contract specifies that the department is required to have one supervisor and two officers on duty at any given time.

Commissioner Angela Grant Sapp said she believed that, during the height of the pandemic, none of the city’s departments were able to serve the citizens as they should have because the city had many employees - including first responders - out sick with COVID.

“We have a variant of this disease where we need to make sure people are vaccinated, and if we don’t, we’re going to be back in the same place this winter as we were last year,” Grant Sapp said.

She also noted that the city had to send people home recently because of an outbreak.

“By October 1, if 10 of the members of the police department decide they’re not going to get vaccinated, can we afford to lose 10 [officers] by October 1?” asked Mayor Ronte Harris. “Is that the date that we want to focus on?”

The commissioners agreed after October 1 any employees who are not vaccinated, and don’t have documentation of a medical reason, will be given a warning and an additional 30 days to comply.

After those 30 days, another warning will be given for those who still do not comply.

If the employees aren’t vaccinated within those 60 days, McLean said they will be terminated.

Grant Sapp asked if there will be any exceptions for religious reasons.

Sherman said there will not be any exceptions for religious reasons to prevent employees who are just “dead set” against getting the vaccine from using that as an excuse.

“Think about it from the perspective of Catholic schools and vaccinations for children; they’ve brought that issue up - and Jewish schools - and the courts have all shot that down,” City Attorney Gary Roberts told the commissioners.

Roberts said religion is not one of the reasons readily acceptable by the court, but medical reasons are acceptable.

Additionally, all citizens who enter the City Hall - whether vaccinated or not - must wear a mask.

The commissioners unanimously voted to implement the new plan.

Erin Hill - Gadsden County News Service

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City of Quincy mandates masks, requires employee vaccination

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