An an email sent yesterday by the Leon County Administrator, Vince Long, notified all Leon County government employees that vaccinations against COVID-19 will become a condition of employment with the county, citing a “resurgence” of the virus in the county.
According to the communication, all County employees will have until October 1 of this year to get fully vaccinated and provide verification of vaccination to Leon County Human Resources.
From the email:
“Today, as vaccinations stagnate and the delta variant has created a resurgence of the COVID 19 virus with the state of Florida at its epicenter, vaccinations against COVID 19 will now become a condition of employment at Leon County Government for new and existing employees under the supervision of the County Administrator and the County Attorney.”
It appears the decision to implement the new policy was made by the County administrator without direction from elected officials.
Leon County Commission Chairman Rick Minor said in a statement he supported the directive by Long.
“It’s a difficult step to take, but it is the right one. We have an obligation to provide a safe workplace for Leon County employees as well as for the public we serve.”
Brian Welch, Leon County Commissioner for District 4, provided Tallahassee Reports with the following statement:
“While I strongly encourage everyone eligible to be vaccinated as soon as possible, I don’t think anyone should lose their job over a personal medical decision. I respect the County Administrator’s efforts to ensure the safety of our employees and continuity of our county operations however, I would prefer a more measured approach that incentivizes county employees and emphasizes the importance of getting vaccinated.”
Governor DeSantis’ office released the following statement Wednesday night:
“Governor DeSantis stands for individuals’ rights to medical privacy and opposes discrimination in all its forms. The provision that county employees who decline to show proof of vaccination will be fired is coercive and appears discriminatory on its face.”
There are exceptions noted in the new policy. The email states that reasonable accommodations will be available to employees who are unable to be vaccinated due to an ADA-covered disability, a doctor certified diagnosed medical condition which prevents an employee from receiving a vaccination or “a sincerely held religious belief.”
Requests for such accommodation will be evaluated on a case -by-case basis and granted, if applicable, consistent with the law and EEOC guidance. Accommodation request forms will be available on Monday, August 2, 2021 on the Human Resources page on the County intranet site.
Long said that approximately 50% of the Leon County Government workforce is vaccinated, leaving about 1,000 people who will be impacted by the new policy.
Letter from Leon County Administrator Vince Long
Today, as vaccinations stagnate and the delta variant has created a resurgence of the COVID 19 virus with the state of Florida at its epicenter, vaccinations against COVID 19 will now become a condition of employment at Leon County Government for new and existing employees under the supervision of the County Administrator and the County Attorney.
As you all know, Leon County employees have been on the front lines in combating the COVID 19 pandemic for over a year and a half. It has been both a humbling and a very proud time to be a County employee. As an organization, we have risen to seemingly endless challenges, and as co-workers we have adapted to changing working conditions that I know none of us ever contemplated. Through the darkest days of the pandemic we learned first-hand, despite extraordinary efforts, just how limited we were as individuals and as a community to protect those most vulnerable to the virus. We also learned first-hand the enormity of the resources that would be required to attempt to restore the livelihoods disrupted due to the virus. And, of course, our efforts to promote vaccines, which have been proven to be highly effective to protect against the virus, have been exhaustive.
This is very simple and very serious. As an employer, we are required to provide a safe work environment for employees, and unvaccinated employees pose a significant risk to spread the virus. As an essential government agency, we are obligated to ensure our operational readiness to serve our community, and virus outbreaks among our workforce that could have been avoided pose a very real threat to our operational readiness.
Implementation
All employees will have until October 1, 2021 to become fully vaccinated and provide vaccination verification to Leon County Human Resources on or before that date. Vaccination verifications will not be accepted after October 1, 2021 for existing employees. Employees who fail to get vaccinated (except in the case where an accommodation has been granted) will be terminated. All new employees will be required to be fully vaccinated before starting employment. For employees who receive the 2-dose vaccine, “fully vaccinated” means two weeks following the administration of the second dose. For employees who receive the 1-dose vaccine, “fully vaccinated” means two weeks following the administration of the vaccine.
Employees may begin immediately providing vaccine verifications to Candice Wilson, the Director of Human Resources, at 315 S. Calhoun Street, #210, Tallahassee, Florida 32301, in a sealed envelope marked “CONFIDENTIAL” via intra-office mail or hand-delivery. These vaccine verifications constitute medical information and will be kept confidential.
Accommodations
Reasonable accommodations will be available to employees who are unable to be vaccinated due to an ADA-covered disability, a doctor certified diagnosed medical condition which prevents an employee from receiving a vaccination or “a sincerely held religious belief.” Requests for such accommodation will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and granted, if applicable, consistent with the law and EEOC guidance. Accommodation request forms will be available on Monday, August 2, 2021 on the Human Resources page on the County intranet site.
In order to give employees whose requests for an accommodation have been denied time to get vaccinated, the accommodation request form must be completed and submitted to Leon County Human Resources on or before August 16, 2021. The information in an accommodation request form that contains medical information will be kept confidential. Employees may begin sending accommodation request forms to Candice Wilson, the Director of Human Resources, at 315 S. Calhoun Street, #, Tallahassee, Florida 32301, on Monday, August 2, 2021, in a sealed envelope marked “CONFIDENTIAL” and delivered via intra-office mail or hand-delivery.
Employees who are granted an accommodation to this condition of employment will be required to wear a mask at all times while at work. In addition, the County may opt to require that unvaccinated employees submit a negative COVID test on a weekly basis.
All employees may contact Candice Wilson, Director of Human Resources, for additional details if necessary. I appreciate all your efforts and together we will do all that we can to provide a safe workplace for Leon County employees, to ensure our operational readiness to serve our community, and to continue to protect our most vulnerable citizens.
Thank you and stay safe,
Vince
Leon County Mandates Vaccine as Condition for Employment added by Steve Stewart on
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Triggered,
Many religious figures decided to rely on “faith” to protect them from COVID. Two such people I knew are now dead.
God helps those who help themselves. Get vaxxed or die of COVID.
Looking forward to taking your jobs…
DeepStateProvocateur,
Why should I be forced to disclose my “deeply held beliefs” to my employer? Who is the final arbitrator of truth and how does that “truth” manifest itself?
DeepStateProvocateur,
And just to put this out there, I also have not gotten the shingles vaccine, nor do I get the annual flu vaccine. I’m also not anti-vaccine, I’m just pro-statistical probabilities. Faith with a little math mixed in.
DeepStateProvocateur,
And this is why courts were created. Your argument is based on “condition of employment” my argument is based on “human rights”. Which is exactly why a measured and cautious approach would have been wiser.
With regard to abortion/COVID. I actually have quite a different and unpopular personal opinion that includes capital punishment. I say, “kill ‘em all” alternatively “save ‘em all”. It is hypocritical to legislate that it is acceptable to put someone to death while simultaneously advocating pro-life. Isn’t a life, a life? And isn’t all life a gift from God? I think that’s what’s missing from the argument.
I have told my children in the medical profession that I have seen people die who should have survived and people who survived, but should have died. Only God gives and takes life. If someone dies of COVID, perhaps it was their time to go. You can blame it on COVID if it makes you feel better, but if it wasn’t COVID and it was their time to go, a common bug bite would have been the mechanism. It comes down to do you put your faith in God or in man (science). BTW, my child who is an atheist, got the vaccine while my child who believes in God has not.
I don’t know about the respiratory thing. Isn’t tuberculosis a respiratory disease? Is Leon County testing for that bacteria? Cruise ships do, maybe Leon County should expand their scope (LOL). In the early days of HIV/AIDS we were unsure how it was transmitted, but we waited on, get this, THE SCIENCE! We spent years not know whether a mosquito bite would transfer the illness.
Vince Long waded into this issue waist deep, when the tide goes out, we’re going to see whether he’s got his shorts on or if he’s swimming naked. But either way, he’s put Tallahassee’s image and the citizen’s money on the line. Wouldn’t that money have been better spent on a bike trail rather than grandstanding? So who does Vince Long work for? Himself or the citizens?
@Triggered –
“As a society, if we are mandating vaccines to protect lives, shouldn’t we also protect that life which has done no harm?”
I guess I’m not sure what you are looking for from employers here? Mandate you can’t get an abortion during the job? Abortion has been settled Constitutional law since before I was born. I am not particularly a fan of it, but I will note with small amusement that you make as if abortion were illegal then suddenly then you’d be OK with doing what you could to protect the immunocompromised or health care workers. I’m all for reducing abortions; if wearing a mask helped reduce them somehow, that’s an inconvenience I’d be willing to suffer through.
” I’m certainly not getting the vaccine under any circumstance, not to fly and not to buy.”
Well, that’s going to be your choice. It’s a dumb one that puts people that aren’t you at risk, but it is your choice.
“A different class of citizenry is being created, those with and those without the vaccine. ”
LOL, suddenly a conservative is worried about classes of citizens!!!! Someone tell their donors. Anyways, anyone *without* a vaccine can get one for free. People are *choosing* to put themselves in an unvaccinated state.
“If I don’t have to disclose my AIDS status, I shouldn’t be forced to disclose my COVID status. Aren’t they both viruses?”
Earth to Triggered. AIDS is not spread via air. And yes, if it was a respiratory disease, you’d have to prove you didn’t have it before going on a cruise.
DeepStateProvocateur,
You’ve drunk the Kool-Aid. Do you not believe that abortion “affects” the fetus and/or how you “interact” with that fetus? As a society, if we are mandating vaccines to protect lives, shouldn’t we also protect that life which has done no harm?
Fortunately, I am self-employed, thus not subjected to employment mandates. I’m certainly not getting the vaccine under any circumstance, not to fly and not to buy. Sounds too much like Orwell to me.
A different class of citizenry is being created, those with and those without the vaccine. A class of citizen that is being discriminated against based on medical status. If I don’t have to disclose my AIDS status, I shouldn’t be forced to disclose my COVID status. Aren’t they both viruses? What about representation? Will I be required to get the vaccine to address the government, whether in the course of business or in meetings? In addition, the vaccine will not be FDA approved until January 2022. Vince Long could have waited on “the science,” but chose otherwise.
There are workers unions and medical associations opposing vaccine mandates as a condition of employment. But, a fool rushes in. Perhaps, a more measured approach was warranted. Let other communities with deeper pockets pay the legal costs. I believe that Vince Long will have mud on his face before this is all over. But unfortunately, his foolishness affects the image and the tax receipts of this community. I’m in agreement with others, he should be fired.
@ deepstatepropagandist…
“My Body; My Choice”… remember that?… it not just for killing innocent babies anymore.
@Triggered –
You continue to have a choice to get a vaccine or not. What you do *not* get is to make that choice *and* have it not affect how others interact with you, including whether or not they want to employ you. This isn’t difficult. Want to stay unvaccinated? Go ahead. Just don’t expect employers or businesses or anyone else has to serve you, employee you, or accept your business because you are so special in how you have exercised your freedom.
Want to start a business where you won’t hire anyone who supports abortion rights? Go ahead! No one is stopping you.
Keep your laws off my body!
DeepStateProvocateur,
If I can abort a fetus, I should also be able to determine whether to have a vaccine injected. I support free choice! The right to choose! Isn’t this a liberal ideology? Perhaps you should question your own belief system. If you believe in mandated vaccines to protect others, you should also believe in forced pregnancy to ensure the right to life of the unborn.
LOL. Conservatives usually advocate for at will employment policy from a general principle standpoint, don’t they? Who knew that when a policy they championed affected them, they would go crying for their mommies? Oh that’s right, anyone with a brain who realizes that today’s conservatives are just a bunch of hypocrites and snowflakes could have foretold the outrage here.
Waaaaah! The policy I have voted for in the last ten elections is one that I don’t like when it affects meeeeee! It was only supposed to hurt poor people or brown people!
Get fired for not getting vaccinated? Well then, *why not let the market figure this out*? There are sure to be plenty of bootstrapping conservative businesses out there that are chomping at the bit to hire unvaccinated workers. It’s a great opportunity to let the market do what it does best!
The reality is that conservative principles are as about as solid as a piece of wet tissue and evaporate the moment following any type of intellectually honest approach might affect a conservative personally.
Just wait until insurance companies start denying hospitalization claims for unvaccinated COVID patients. It should be their right as a private company, right?
95%+ of people in hospitals with COVID right now were too stupid or too bullheaded to get a free vaccine. But our healthcare workers pay a price, the immunocompromised pay a price, everyone else gets to pay for them being just that stupid. The unvaccinated are the freeloader welfare queens of the covid age.
Get vaccinated or get bent.
Since Long is making getting the injection a Condition of Employment, does this make Leon County legally and financially liable for any deaths, injuries, or long term disability resulting from vaccine side effects? Even with massive CDC / Social Media / MSM censorship related to this subject, it is becoming public knowledge that these consequences are not rare, and we may not have seen the worst of them. Since even the CDC has been forced to admit the current vaccines neither prevent infection, or prevent vaccinated subjects from shedding the Covid virus, I am not seeing the upside of Long’s edict from either a public health or possibly (I am not an attorney) a legal liability standpoint.
Meanwhile the elected appointed and administrative local officials know they have the vast majority of voters behind each in each and every form of government overreach the benevolent leadership cooks up.
The typical leadership in leftist voter dominated states and as in our case communities is just to implement what ever draconian policy they want until somebody or something typically a court order stops them.
Once again everything boils down to your neighbors. That old couple across the street, that sweet family that lives next door, mostly everyone within the boundary lines of Leon County. They may seem normal in many ways but when they get to the polling place they turn into flaming leftist, green new deal loving, AOC supporting – baby killing leftists.
My conservative friends keep resisting even though we know we are vastly outnumbered. The only fix I can see is to somehow enlighten voters to turn away from the leftist vote. Just to give you an idea of the enormity of the task even our hero Dr. Erwin Jackson identifies as a Democrat. Local government did whizz Dr. Jackson off by effin with his freedom to conduct his local business though. So maybe there is something to be learned by what turned him against local government. I just wonder though…is he still voting D D D D D straight down the line each and every time? I mean its OK if you do Dr. Jackson after its your right to vote your way. No disrespect intended and keep your vote private sir. I’m just trying to point out that if we cant somehow sway the voters nothing will ever change.
Everything the conservatives want begins and ends with the voters. We can rail against local officials all we want to no avail. I dont know how to change the voters but I bet someone knows.
David T. Hawkins
In case your weren’t aware, every parent has the option to enroll their child in public school with or without vaccinations and cannot be denied. Any governmental or private entity requiring any vaccination proven effective or not is an infringement on individual rights in my opinion! BTW! Where are the people that were raising hell about proven effective vaccinations causing Autism, Asberger’s, etc not long ago???? Suddenly now an Emergency approved vaccination is okay?? This is crazy!!
John
You are spot on with most of your comments except your girlfriend should be of legal consenting age! Common Sense!
My two cents and could care less if anyone agrees!!
Perhaps Mr. long needs to read a recent CDC report stating that, of the 469 patients that tested positive for Covid earlier this summer in Cape Cod, SEVENTY-FIVE PERCENT WERE FULLY VACCINATED YET STILL CONTRACTED COVID.
Let’s call a spade a spade and say what this really is. A politically motivated publicity stunt by Mr. Long to be the FIRST County Manager in the country to mandate the vaccine or get fired. The fact that he is willing to lose half of his work force shows he does not care about his employees. What he DOES care about is getting his name associated with the rest of the tyrant Democrats. He should be fired.
Thank you Edward Lyle and City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow for speaking the truth today and so very eloquently done.
The Tallahassee Chamber’s reaction and actions toward Mr. Matlow are deplorable and dictatorial as if how dare anyone had the right to free speech.
Their mafioso behavior is unacceptable. Commissioner Matlow did the right thing by writing a My View exposing some serious flaws with the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce.
Again, thank you Mr. Ed Lyle and Commissioner Jeremy Matlow for speaking the truth. God Bless America!
To repeat… Leon County Government – all of it – is wholly financed by taxpayers and citizens… ergo, the “employees” of Leon County are the “employees” of the taxpayers and citizens of Leon County, NOT the BOCC or the County Administrator.
This action taken by the County Administrator is egregious, unilateral, illegal, and tyrannical… and completely dismissive of the proper and recognized Chain of Command. The County Administrator should be terminated immediately for cause and with prejudice. If the members of the BOCC (his direct bosses who hired him) do not act to do so… they should be recalled for Dereliction of Duty and Violating their Oath of Office.
I believe anyone on the payroll of Leon County would be considered an employee.
Since ALL employees must get vaccinated or loose their jobs, I believe that would include the County Commissioners. That might produce a very sticky situation for the County..
David, the vaccines that you were required to receive as a kid were FDA approved. The Covid vaccine is experimental, they can not require it.
“We the Patriots USA” got Yale University to back down from their vaccine mandate. Maybe they could help our county employees get relief from their vaccine mandate.
When I read about the mandated vaccinations for Leon County employees yesterday, my first thought was that County Administrator Vince Long was trying to get his name out there to show he is siding with the Democratic Party tyrannical NUTS in DC that are determined to destroy this country over a vaccine. They continue to put out false information, they can’t even confirm whether or not the vaccine will work against the Delta variant. They say “it appears to” but have no scientific documentation as proof.
He is willing to boot half of his employees for refusing to get a vaccine that they see as “bad medicine” for their bodies. Vince Long needs to be terminated immediately. He made this decision without ANY INPUT from Leon County Commissioners.
Tallahassee and Leon County are in distress and it becomes apparent when you go to another city and see flourishing infrastructure, professionalism, and hope.
In Tallahassee you see a group of corrupt publicity stunt Fanatics marketing themselves to manufacture integrity… group of corrupt people in the marketing business tied in with elected officials, the Chamber of Commerce and the Democratic Party. It is a lose-lose for all… Losers even though they call themselves movers and shakers
Their decisions are self-serving and political theater not what is best or fair or right. This is a Democratic Party move and there needs to be some intervention from the governor or the house to remove this city manager from his position as soon as possible before he does more harm to the people and this County.
Just curious…….. Do Parents still have to prove that their Kids have had their Shots before they can Register for School? I remember, as a Kid, back in the late 60’s, I got the Big Shot while AT School, the one that left a round Scar on your Arm and I bet you can even see the Scar today.
Some interesting points there John… but you might want to see someone about that last one… seems a tad creepy.
Many people of color believe that Covid-19 was created to target the African American population. Similarly as Sickle Cell Anemia primarily affects people of color disproportionately, many people of color believe that this vaccine will disproportionately effect their health. Whether this is true remains to be seen, but this is what many people of color believe. To dictate vaccinations for all is the epitome of white privilege and one size fits all. This dictate is typical government overreach without consideration of individual beliefs or individual outcomes.
I don’t want the government to tell me to get vaccinated.
I don’t wan the government to tell me to wear a mask.
I don’t want the government to tell me to wear a helmet when I’m on my Fat Boy.
I don’t want the government to tell me to wear a seatbelt when driving my Shelby.
I don’t want the government to tell me how many guns I can own.
I don’t want the government to tell me how fast I can drive.
I don’t want the government to tell me what pesticides I can use.
I don’t want the government to tell me I can’t put topsoil on top of a marsh to build my house or tell me I need a system for my waste.
I don’t want the government to tell me how many animals or fish I can harvest.
I don’t want the government to tell me how old my girlfriend has to be.
Probably illegal but we’ll see.Hopefully state will step in and ban counties and city’s from mandating drugs.
How can someone who can’t even run his County Solid Waste entity because of the entrenched corruption make our medical decisions, invade our privacy, and take away our civil liberties?
Fact: DemoKKKrats and The Dementia Joe Biden Sadministration is intentionally spreading, infecting, and subsequently killing American “citizens” in order to win elections and transition our Republic into a Communist Country.
Do something about it… or prove me wrong
… I’ll wait…
I can’t breathe! (With my mask)
A bold and stupid move just as the CDC announces the vaccinated employees are spreading Covid as well.
clarification: when I say people should fight back, I don’t mean physically.
I’m not at all impressed with Commissioner Welch’s “statement” either. It’s at best a feckless “opinion” and at worse a weak “observation”. The Administrator is a direct hire of the Board, and Welch owe we citizens more than a dithering dodge. He has the responsibility to act, not simply pontificate.
A subordinate has crossed the line in the egregious of ways… grow a set Welch, and do your job.
I agree that Vince Long should be terminated immediately (along with the city manager).
Vince Long is from New York so he must have been talking to Cuomo.
Vince Long was in collusion with Scott Maddox and Gary Yordon for the Waste Pro fiasco. Need I say more?
I could go on and give example after example on Mr. Long’s poor self-serving political decisions, but I believe Mr. Lyle has said it best regarding Hippa and other laws. Let the lawsuits begin.
The Attorney General should file a lawsuit against the County for violating the State ban on vaccine passports and for violating HIPPA laws. Additionally, the employees should get together and file a class action suit against the County and the Board of County Commissioners, personally.
The Board of County Commissioners need to fire Vince Long immediately. If not, every board member needs to be voted out in the next election or recalled.
If people don’t fight back hard, the totalitarians will be emboldened and increase their draconian measures. That’s how it always plays out, look at history.
Are they going to require those living on public assistance to get vaccinated??
First off, I want to say that, I got vaccinated, it was MY choice for MY reasons. Now, Making ANYONE get vaccinated to KEEP their Job is WRONG and most likely illegal. It might NOT be illegal to make being vaccinated a requirement to GETTING Hired BUT, you are not allowed to ask Medical questions during the Interview Process. Just like you are not allowed to ask if they Smoke and How often so you can judge how much time they will spend outside smoking instead of working. The whole process is messed up. If you’re allowed to fire an employee for NOT getting vaccinated then, you SHOULD be able to fire and Employee who wont quit Smoking while at Work.
Wow this is a bold move by Administrator Long. Basically telling half your employees to take a medicine they don’t want to or take a hike. Looks like there will be a lot of vacancies in Leon county government.
Brian Welch is turning out to be a rock star!!!! Rick Minor is up for re-election 2022, and I just hope that anyone with a pulse runs against him.
Edward and David…..Amen, there is at least one Commissioner, Brian Welch that has a brain, and a understanding of what freedom and liberty mean.
This is a non-science, speculation-based, dictatorial, unilateral act of tyrannical oppression – on the part of the County Administrator – that has a potential to impact the whole of Leon County citizenry. An action taken by the County Administrator WITHOUT seeking input from his bosses – the Elected Representatives of said citizens – OR providing the opportunity for the citizens themselves to provide input. Leon County employees work for and are paid by the taxpayers of Leon County… NOT the County Administrator. The CA is simply a manager/administrator of the county’s operations… AND an employee of the BOCC and taxpayer as well.
The County Administrator should be terminated immediately for cause. His actions are a gross, egregious, and tyrannical act of overstepping his authority and completely dismissing the proper and long-established procedures for considering such a policy, and the complete and utter dismissal of the proper chain of command.
Terminate Long immediately for cause and with prejudice
I believe this is going to backfire.
I suggest that folks educate themselves on HIPAA forthwith. Additionally, I would recommend that everyone memorize the following statement…”Pursuant to Settled Law – specifically associated with HIPAA – I reserve the right to keep my personal medical information private”… repeat if necessary, and say no more.
Understand that it is not a violation of the law for someone to “ask” you about your personal medical information (aka: vaccination status)… however, it is against the law for them to attempt to “force you to answer” or “threaten you in anyway for not answering”
Make no mistake about it folks… law firms are already drafting their Legal Briefs in preparation for the lawsuits.