Vax mandate? It depends
Policies for staff differ at city-backed ‘outside agencies’
STAMFORD — More than 70 percent of full-time municipal employees are documented as vaccinated by Stamford’s human resources department. And those that aren’t must provide a negative COVID-19
test result to human resources each week.
But among a sampling of the city’s affiliated entities, the picture is less clear cut.
Many organizations that receive money from the city of Stamford, often referred to as its “outside agencies,” boast high levels of vaccine uptake among their employees, but divergent strategies for encouraging employees to seek immunological protection against COVID-19, according to a survey conducted by The
Stamford Advocate.
Across residents of all ages, 76.6 percent of city residents have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to data from the state last updated on Sept. 15. That data also shows that 68.3 percent of Stamfordites 12 and older are fully vaccinated.
Of the eight organizations who responded to The Advocate, five had either instituted a vaccine mandate for employees or had a fully vaccinated staff. Another three rely on employees submitting negative COVID-19 tests every week.
Some of the smaller organizations said instituting a formal mandate for employees rapidly became unnecessary since staff moved independently to get the vaccine.
The Stamford Senior Center, for example, has four full-time employees and 10 instructors for its classes; all are fully immunized against COVID, according to Executive Director Christina Crain. Soundwaters, the maritime education nonprofit focused on the Long Island Sound, found itself in a similar situation. All 12 of its fulltime employees are fully vaccinated, and “a mandate has not been part of the conversation,” said Vice President of Development Bob Mazzone.
“A 100 (percent) vaccinated workforce makes it easy for now,” Mazzone said in an email.
Among larger organizations — those with more than 20 employees — vaccination rates are more varied, though they remained high. The five biggest nongovernmental agencies in Stamford that divulged their vaccination protocols all reported vaccination rates for staff between 80 and 99 percent.
Pacific House
Of homeless shelter Pacific House’s 47 employees — 37 full-time and 10 parttime — 85 percent have gotten the vaccine, according to Executive Director Rafael Pagan. The shelter is not requiring vaccination among its employees, though Pagan said Pacific House “encourages” getting the shot.
For unvaccinated employees, the shelter implemented a mandatory testing requirement, along with some additional safety protocols.
“Everyone has to wear masks at the work place, (and) continue to have their temperatures taken at some of our facilities,” Pagan said. “Those who are not
vaccinated that are working directly with clients need to wear face shields as well.”
The Ferguson Library
With 100 full- and parttime employees, the Ferguson Library employs the most people out of all the organizations that responded to The Advocate. Library President Alice Knapp said “the library is in the process of instituting a vaccine mandate,” which will go into effect on Oct. 8. By then, all staff and volunteers must show proof of
vaccination.
The library will provide staff with exceptions “for medical or religious reasons,” but staff seeking an accommodation must submit a negative COVID test every week to continue working.
About 80 percent of library staff is vaccinated, according to Knapp.
Boys and Girls Club of Stamford
Just over 88 percent of staff members at Stamford’s Boys and Girls Club location
— housed at the Yerwood Center — have gotten their COVID-19 vaccines so far, Director Rowena Track said. Seven employees are being tested every week, something the center requires of its staff now, while 54 are vaccinated.
Employees are not required to get the vaccine as a condition of employment, but being able to work every week is contingent upon an employee submitting a negative test.
Stamford Senior Center
All four employees and 10 class instructors at the Stamford Senior Center are fully vaccinated, as its Board of Directors implemented a vaccine mandate in June, Crain said.
Downtown Special Services District
The 19 employees at the Downtown Special Services District, including all its environmental maintenance workers and the Downtown Ambassadors, are all fully immunized against COVID-19, according to DSSD President David Kooris.
But the mandate extends beyond just staff members with the organization. For this season’s twin concert series, Wednesday Nite Live and Alive@Five, the DSSD mandated vaccines for “all volunteers, temporary staff, and security contractors to be vaccinated to work at the concerts.”
The DSSD announced in late August that all attendees must proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test taken within 72 hours to enter Mill River Park for the annual shows.
“If we’re going to be asking that of our guests, we have to at least make sure that our team hits the same bar,” Kooris said. Because employees were already fully vaccinated, the DSSD never had to implement its own vaccination mandate for permanent staff, he added.
The Palace Theatre
Roughly 30 full- and part-time employees work for the Palace Theatre on a regular basis, and 99 percent of workers are fully vaccinated, said Palace CEO Michael Moran.
The few that aren’t vaccinated “need to provide a negative PCR test within 72 hours or a rapid test within 6 hours of coming to work,” Moran said. And, all tests must be administered by a health care provider.
Soundwaters
Like the Downtown Special Services District, nonprofit group Soundwaters never had to implement a vaccine mandate.
With 12 full-time employees — all of which are vaccinated — there was never a need to implement a immunization requirement for staff, Mazzone said.
Domus Kids
“In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Domus recently decided to implement a mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy for all full-time and regular part-time staff,” Domus Kids Director Michael Duggan said in an email.
Domus has 64 employees, and 90 percent of staff members are vaccinated so far, according to information Duggan provided. Despite the mandate, the organization has not opted to institute a mandatory testing policy among its staff. Instead, the nonprofit has its sights set meeting a lofty goal for an organization of its size.
“Our goal is to have 100% of our staff fully vaccinated by October 15,” Duggan said, “And we appear to be on track to hit that goal.”