Thousands Of NYC Workers On Unpaid Leave Over Vaccine Mandate

Mandate opponents demonstrated in Staten Island Monday night, and thousands of firefighters called out sick in an apparent protest of the requirement.

About 9,000 New York City municipal workers were put on unpaid leave for refusing to comply with a COVID-19 vaccine mandate that took effect Monday.

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Mayor Bill de Blasio said about 9 in 10 city workers covered by the mandate have been vaccinated and there have been no disruptions to city services as a result of staffing shortages. New York has more than 300,000 city employees.