NEW YORK–Credit unions in New York City will have to have all employees who are working in-person vaccinated against the coronavirus by Dec. 27 should the city’s incoming mayor choose to uphold a surprise announcement by its outgoing mayor.
The announcement of the new requirement by Mayor Bill de Blasio caught many off guard. de Blasio is on his way out of office and he made the announcement during MSNBC's "Morning Joe" television program.
De Blasio called the move a "preemptive strike" against the omicron variant and said it is a "first-in-the-nation measure.
But not everyone is pleased.
"We were blindsided," Kathryn Wilde, the president and CEO of The Partnership for New York City, an influential business group, told the New York Times. "There's no forewarning, no discussion, no idea about whether it's legal or who he expects to enforce it."
New Mayor Could Mean New Policy
De Blasio’s term is due to expire at year-end and the new private employer vaccine mandate is set to take effect just five days before Mayor-elect Eric Adams takes over. The Times noted some are wondering if de Blasio's MSNBC announcement was more about building his political brand as he considers running for governor.
Adams, for his part, has not committed to enforcing the de Blasio mandate.
Further complicating the issue is the inevitable legal challenges, noted several analysts.