MILWAUKEE — City of Milwaukee employees have until Friday to submit proof of their COVID-19 vaccination.
Workers had 60 days to comply. Alderman Bob Bauman is hopeful to see a rise in people reporting proof by the deadline.
"As often the case in life, you wait to the deadline to finally do what you have to do. File the paperwork. So I'll reserve judgment on exactly how big a number that is," said Bauman.
New numbers show that some people did wait. On Tuesdayonly 77% of employees were in compliance. By Friday morning that number had increased to 91.2%. The city's Employee Relations Department told TMJ4 that nearly 2,900 workers had submitted their proof of vaccination or had an approved accommodation request. 44 employees were listed as still waiting on an accommodation decision. Excluding that group, a remaining 231 employees were not in compliance with the vaccine policy.
This data does not include temporary election poll workers, elected officials, members of the Milwaukee Fire Department, and members of the Milwaukee Police Department. However, those groups may be subject to separate mandates. For example, the city's police union has rolled out it's own vaccine requirement.
"If they don't submit their proof, then obviously we will have some vacancies in those positions," said Common Council President Cavalier Johnson.
If workers do not submit their proof of vaccination, they will be suspended after Friday for up to 30 days. If they do not comply within the time of their suspension, they will then be fired, according to city guidelines.
"I don't want us to get there," said Johnson.