Will Santa Monica Mandate Vaccine for City Employees?

Santa Monica is on the verge of requiring its municipal workforce to get the COVID-19 vaccine, city officials said on Tuesday.

City officials will be meeting with the labor organizations that represent the municipal workforce to discuss the impacts of a mandatory vaccination policy, civic leaders said.

"Just as the City of Santa Monica is often a strong model in local government, we do all we can to safeguard the wellbeing of our Santa Monica community and dedicated City workforce," said Interim City Manager John Jalili. "Vaccination is the very best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and every vaccination will make a measurable difference in our recovery." 

The move comes as Los Angeles County is experiencing a steep surge in cases and as other governmental bodies have rolled out similar vaccination policies, including Pasadena, San Francisco, New York City and the State of California.

On Tuesday, the City of Los Angeles announced that its employees must provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or undergo weekly testing to show they have tested negative.

The proposed vaccination plan "will align Santa Monica's workforce with leading medical organizations, cities, and public agencies across the nation," city officials said, adding that 59% of the city's employees have so far reported they have been vaccinated.