Outgoing NYC Mayor Eric Adams to allow fired COVID workers to get jobs back

quote:

---

Thousands of New York City workers who lost their jobs because they refused to get jabbed with the COVID-19 vaccine can return to their jobs, outgoing Mayor Eric Adams announced Wednesday.

Adams, who steps down on Dec. 31, said he is giving about 2,900 city workers who were fired during the pandemic over their refusal to get vaccinated another shot at coming back to work as he prepares to depart City Hall.

Under the plan, terminated employees will be offered the opportunity to return to their same job at the same rate of pay, Adams said, but without credit for the time they didn't work, and with no right to backpay.

In a statement, the mayor defended his divisive vaccine mandate for city workers, which spurred protests and lawsuits, saying it helped the city weather the worst of the pandemic. He also boasted his post-pandemic policies helped New York City rebound "with a record number of jobs, record number of small businesses and near record tourism numbers."

"But we recognize that we are in a different place today than we were nearly four years ago, and our policies should match the realities of the times," Adams, a Democrat, said. "That’s why we are updating our policies to reflect our new health and economic reality, as we look forward to welcoming back many of our former employees to their former positions."

---