Council of the District of Columbia

Committee of the Whole

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20004

 

 

TO:                      Nyasha Smith, Secretary to the Council

                

FROM:               Phil Mendelson, Chairman

                                                           

DATE:                September 30, 2021

 

 

This memorandum is to request that the following measures be placed on the agenda for the October 5, 2021 Legislative Meeting:

 

▪        Council Vaccination Policy Approval Resolution of 2021

▪        Council Vaccination Policy Enforcement Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2021

▪        Council Vaccination Policy Enforcement Emergency Amendment Act of 2021

▪        Council Vaccination Policy Enforcement Temporary Amendment Act of 2021

 

               The proposed internal Council resolution would adopt a mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy for Council employees.  The policy was crafted based on several discussions amongst Councilmembers about enacting such a policy.  The proposed policy requires Councilmembers and Council staff to complete an approved COVID-19 vaccine series and provide proof of full vaccination by October 31, 2021.  In addition, all newly hired staff must present proof of full vaccination before commencing work at the Council.  Employees who apply for, and are granted, a religious or medical exemption must agree to submit to weekly testing prior to entering any workspace where Council work is conducted, including community events.  Failure to adhere to the vaccine policy would constitute a violation of the Council Rules and employees who do not comply would face disciplinary action by the respective personnel authority.

 

               The accompanying emergency and temporary acts provide for a mechanism to ensure Council employees comply with the vaccine policy in the case where an individual employee’s personnel authority (the employing Councilmember) refuses to take disciplinary action against an employee as provided for in the policy.  Only for the purpose of enforcing the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, the Chairman of the Council would be authorized to take disciplinary action against Council employees for failing to comply with the policy, up to and including termination.

 

The draft measures are attached.  Please call me or Mr. Evan Cash if you have any questions at (202) 724-7002. 

 

 

cc:          All Councilmembers

               Council Officers

 

 

Evan Cash

Committee and Legislative Director

Committee of the Whole

Chairman Phil Mendelson

 

John A. Wilson Building

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Suite 410

Washington, DC 20004

Tel: (202) 724-7002

http://www.chairmanmendelson.com/cow

 

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