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Los Angeles has joined other cities, including Long Beach and Pasadena, in ending the requirement for city employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
According to the ordinance passed by the City Council on Tuesday, city employees who resigned or were fired because of the COVID-19 vaccination policy can reapply for their previous jobs, but the city’s normal hiring process will apply and the employee’s past work history, including disciplinary actions, will be taken into consideration. There is no guarantee they will be rehired.
During the City Council meeting, employees who previously lost their jobs due to the vaccination mandate spoke out against the policy, asking the City Council to rehire them and pay them back wages due from their layoffs.
Chief Administrative Officer Matthew Sabo said in a report to city leaders that the draft ordinance was shared with “employee organizations” for feedback but that there had been no “objections” from them.
LAist has reached out to Szabo and SEIU Local 721, the labor union that represents many city employees, for comment.
Los Angeles lifted its COVID-19 state of emergency last March.
The vaccine mandate has led to several lawsuits by city employees. Six Los Angeles Police Department officers filed a federal lawsuit in 2021, alleging that the mandate violated their Fourth and 14th Amendment rights. The Los Angeles Fire Department has also previously furloughed employees who did not comply with the mandate.
Mayor Karen Bass has 10 days to sign the ordinance, after which it will be on the public’s radar for 30 days, after which the city can begin reviewing claims from workers who were fired or quit because of the policy.
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