9,000 NYC workers on leave as vaccine mandate takes effect

By MICHAEL R. SISAK and KAREN MATTHEWS
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — About 9,000 New York City municipal workers were put on unpaid leave for refusing to comply with a COVID-19 vaccine mandate that took effect Monday and thousands of city firefighters have called out sick in an apparent protest over the requirement. Mayor Bill de Blasio said about 9 in 10 city workers covered by the mandate have gotten vaccinated and there have been no disruptions to city services as a result of staffing shortages. New York has more than 300,000 city employees. Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said firehouses remained open but 18 of the department’s 350 units were out of service and “many units are understaffed.”