Alderman seeks vaccinations or testing for city employees
New legislation proposed by one Milwaukee Common Council member would require city employees to prove they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or test negative for the virus weekly as a condition of coming to work.
The legislation by Ald. Robert Bauman would instruct the city Department of Employee Relations to come up with a policy for the requirements.
The announcement comes on the heels of legislation proposed by six other council members that would require masks inside if the transmission level in the city reaches 100 or more cases per 100,000 people.
The city has been nearing that threshold as officials sound the alarm about the highly contagious delta variant and a rise in cases.
In a statement, Bauman said the legislation would help the city create a safer workplace.
“All City employees deserve to work in an environment where the risk of infection by COVID-19 has been minimized,” he said.
Under the legislation, employees who were not vaccinated would have to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 diagnostic test at least once per week and would also be required to wear face masks at all times at work.
Employees who do not comply with the policy would not be allowed to come to work and “may be subject to disciplinary action,” according to the statement.
Mayor Tom Barrett’s spokesman, Jeff Fleming, said in an email that the city would be “finalizing its plan for employees in the coming days.”
“The Mayor favors vaccination and masking requirements for employees that protect fellow workers and the public,” he said, adding that the city would share more details this week.