11% of executive branch state employees noncompliant against COVID-19

HARTFORD — More than 10 percent of executive branch state employees have not been vaccinated against COVID-19, according to Gov. Ned Lamont in a news release Sunday.

As of 4 p.m. Sunday,about 23,000 or 74 percent of executive branch state employees are fully vaccinated; about 5,000 or 15 percent will receive weekly testing; and about 3,000 or 11 percent are noncompliant.

noncompliant status means the employees have not provided proof of vaccination or have started weekly testing.

Last week, Lamont asked the Connecticut National Guard to prepare to be activated as the state anticipates staff shortages from workers unwilling to comply with the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Those who are noncompliant as of the deadline could be placed on unpaid leave as early as Tuesday, but no later than Oct. 11, officials said

On Sunday, Lamont said the state has made “significant progress” in compliance with the executive orders requiring either COVID-19 vaccination or weekly testing among executive branch state employees.

The administration continues to expect that most of the remaining noncompliant employees will submit the required documentation to the state by Monday evening, Oct. 4, and that there should be minimal impact to operations as a result, Lamont said in the release.

The state employee vaccination and testing requirement only covers the executive branch and does not apply to the legislative or judicial branches, the release said.