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PHOENIX – The Maricopa County Supervisory Board voted on Wednesday to offer county employees cash and time off as an incentive to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
The board voted 4-1 to give workers $ 100 and a recognition day off if they are fully immunized by October 31.
Ahead of the vote, President Jack Sellers said there had been a lot of talk about how to increase vaccination rates in county agencies without issuing a warrant.
He said some departments where employees are in regular contact with the public have “very low vaccination rates.”
“If we ever want to move forward and put this pandemic behind us, we have to do everything we can to encourage vaccination in this county, and it’s a step towards that goal,” he said.
All part-time, full-time, classified, unclassified, contract and temporary employees are eligible, including workers already vaccinated.
The offer is good for the approximately 10,000 employees of the elected offices of Maricopa County, the appointed departments, the flood control district and the library district.
Supervisor Steve Chucri, one of four Republicans on the board, was the only no to vote. He said he thought the vaccine worked but opposed the policy because he believed that getting the vaccine was “a very personal choice.”
“I applaud our human resources. I applaud our county administration and what it does, ”he said. “It’s just a personal thing for me on this one.”
Vaccinated employees will have until November 10 to submit proof of vaccination to Human Resources.
The bonus is expected to appear on paychecks on November 24, and the day off is to be used up by the end of 2022.
Hospitalizations related to the virus have nearly quadrupled in Arizona since the state’s third wave began in early July. People who are not fully immunized now account for almost all serious illnesses and deaths.
Free federally licensed vaccines are widely available and highly effective in preventing COVID-19 disease, including the more contagious delta variant which now accounts for most cases in the United States
For more information on vaccine availability in the Phoenix metro area, Maricopa County Public Health has a location page that lists pharmacies, government-run sites, health clinics, and distribution events. contextual. Appointments may be necessary depending on the provider.
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