City of Plantation revises COVID-19 vaccination policy amid legal challenges over vaccine mandates

Plantation, Florida – On Thursday the City of Plantation informed its employees that it is revising its COVID-19 vaccination policy implemented in August amid “ongoing legal challenges surrounding vaccine mandates.”

According to the policy, city employees are required to be vaccinated by Sept. 30.

The requirement led to 90% of city employees getting vaccinated so far, compared to just 38% prior to the policy being issued, according to a memo sent to employees.

The city confirmed that the policy will be modified beginning Friday.

“Moving forward, employees who have not begun their vaccination process will be required to wear an N-95 mask at all times during their workday and be tested for COVID-19 on a weekly basis until such time as they are fully vaccinated and provide that proof to Human Resources,” the memo stated.

However, the city will provide the N-95 masks to employees and Human Resources will coordinate the scheduling for COVID-19 testing for employees who are unvaccinated.

So far 910 city employees, 837 got the shot and 73 chose not to.

“We have people, who have been here years upon years upon years,” said Nick Sortal, Plantation councilman. “We don’t want to lose them. We want to keep them working.”

According to the memo, vaccinated or applied for an exemption by Thursday’s deadline employees will receive an extra personal day, which can be used in the upcoming fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2022.

Starting with the new plan year in April 2022, employees who provide proof of vaccination will be eligible for discounted healthcare coverage.

At the beginning of this month, Gov. Ron DeSantis threatened local governments with $5,000 fines per violation if they required employees to get vaccinated against COVID.