Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas employees must get COVID vaccine or weekly tests
Employees of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas will be required to either receive the COVID-19 vaccine or take weekly tests for the virus under a new policy.
Citing the area’s lagging vaccination rates and the latest surge through the region, Unified Government County Administrator Doug Bach announced the new directive in a news release Wednesday. The new policy takes effect Sept. 6.
“Routine testing is an additional step to protect our employees, their families, and the public,” Bach said in a statement, adding: “The Unified Government provides critical services for the community, and we must ensure that we have a workforce that is capable of providing the services upon which the public depends.”
Along with the vaccine policy, the Unified Government is reinstating a sick leave policy available only to fully vaccinated employees. If those employees test positive for COVID-19, experiencing a rare so-called “breakthrough” infection, they will be able to take off work under that option.
It also offers time off for employees caring for fully vaccinated or vaccine-ineligible family members, such as a child under 12, who has tested positive for COVID-19 and is required to quarantine.
Under the policy, employees who are not fully vaccinated and refuse to participate in regular testing will not be allowed to work or take leaves of absence like vacation time. Employees will not be charged for the tests.
Several area employers in Kansas City area government — as well as in the private sector — have recently set rules aimed at encouraging vaccination. The United Government’s move Wednesday resembles others recently made in Johnson County, Jackson County and Kansas City as the metro area continues to experience an elevated number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths.
