Los Angeles Will Require Weekly COVID-19 Tests From Unvaccinated City Employees

The city of Los Angeles announced Tuesday it will require unvaccinated city workers to take weekly COVID-19 tests.

City employees will have to submit verification of whether or not they have been fully vaccinated to a human resources representative. If not vaccinated, a weekly negative COVID-19 test must be submitted by the unvaccinated city worker.

Mayor Eric Garcetti said there would be specifics discussed Wednesday, including how the COVID-19 tests will be administered and if there will be repercussions for refusal of testing.

“I personally want to make this as easy as possible for city employees,” Garcetti said Tuesday. “This isn’t some sort of punishment. We’ve done, we think more tests directly than any government entity in the United States, besides the national government. We’ve got a lot of experience, we’ll make it easy, we’ll make it convenient.”

There will also be responsibility placed on departments to keep track of employee vaccination statuses.

This will be an early look at future vaccine mandates for all city employees, pending the full approval of the vaccines by the Food and Drug Administration.

“Angelenos have stayed inside for over a year to protect themselves and others. I think it’s safe to say that we’re getting tired of putting our lives on hold to protect people who don’t want to protect themselves and get vaccinated,” L..A. City Council President Nury Martinez said. “In order for us, as leaders, to ask Angelenos to get vaccinated, we must set an example as the largest employer in the City of Los Angeles. This is us doing our part.”

The announcement came a day after California Gov. Gavin Newsom said announced a similar mandate for state employees.

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