PITTSBURGH — All Allegheny County employees will be required to get a COVID-19 vaccination, Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald announced Wednesday.
Unvaccinated employees have until Dec. 1 to comply, subject to such exceptions as required by law.
It’s the latest in an effort to promote the health and safety of Allegheny County’s workforce and to protect the public, Fitzgerald said in a news release.
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“As we continue to see cases of COVID in our county, and different populations being affected than were previously, it is even more important that our workforce be protected so that the public that we serve is protected as well,” said Fitzgerald.
Employees will need to provide proof of vaccination to department management. While employees do not have to be considered fully vaccinated by Dec. 1, they will have to have received the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, or received the second dose of the two-shot Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, on or before Dec. 1.
On Dec. 2, anyone in violation of the requirement who does not meet any exception will face termination.
Vaccinated employees who still get COVID-19 or have been ordered or directed to quarantine will also have an additional benefit of being provided 10 days of paid leave.
“We understand this is a public safety issue and following the agreements of the CDC, FDA, Pennsylvania DoH, Dr. Bogen at the ACHD, and OSHA, we feel very comfortable where we’re going with this,” Fitzgerald said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon.
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