Phoenix to mandate employees be fully vaccinated against COVID-19

PHOENIX — The city of Phoenix is mandating employees be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 18, citing an executive order from President Joe Biden requiring compliance as a federal contractor.

Phoenix emailed employees Thursday with the requirement. The city said its number of federal contracts make it a federal contractor, therefore having Phoenix fall under Biden’s Executive Order 14202.

Employees, regardless of telework status or a previous positive COVID-19 test, will have to submit a completed vaccination card that have two doses of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Booster doses aren’t required.

Religious or medical accommodations will be available for those wishing to opt-out of the policy, but won’t be guaranteed, the city said. Accommodation requests must be made by Dec. 31.

Phoenix said those not in compliance will be subjected to progressive discipline up to and including termination.

The city has provided locations for employees to receive the vaccine ahead of the January deadline.

Last month, the Tucson City Council approved an ordinance saying city employees who haven’t received at least one shot of the vaccine and have not received an approved exception or accommodation by Dec. 1 will be subject to termination.

Officials in Arizona’s second-largest city said their plan is legal after a Maricopa County judge struck down a state law banning vaccine mandates.

Gov. Doug Ducey has previously said there wouldn’t be vaccine or mask mandates in Arizona.

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