COVID vaccines, tests to be required for city employees, says council

MARION - While the U.S. Supreme Court considers COVID-19 vaccine mandates for large employers, the Marion City Council on Monday night approved the emergency temporary standard sought by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

City Attorney Wendy Cunningham said the city is under Illinois OSHA, which follows the federal agency's guidelines. OSHA's emergency temporary standard, still in effect following the Supreme Court's hearing of the case last Friday, requires employers of 100 or more workers to require employees to be fully vaccinated or submit to weekly tests and wear masks.

Under Illinois OSHA's timeline, large employers have until Feb. 24 to have the vaccination policy in place, and have a testing policy in place by March 25, Cunningham said.

The penalties for non-compliance are severe, she noted, with fines of $13,650 per offense per day.

Jessica Force, human resources director, would be responsible for monitoring vaccination status. She said 210 out of 230 employees had signed on to the city's vaccination-status portal. Those who haven't responded would be subject to testing as if they were not vaccinated.

Commissioners said they didn't agree with the mandate, but that city had to comply.

"We don't have a choice in the matter," said Commissioner Doug Patton.

He said it wasn't fair that unvaccinated employees must wear masks while indoors or riding with others in a vehicle, because fully vaccinated people can still get and transmit the virus. "It makes no sense to me."

Commissioner John Barwick also said he was against the vaccine mandate, but "they pretty well have us over a barrel on this."

Mayor Mike Absher said he would "bite the bullet" and make the motion to approve the OSHA emergency temporary standard, "and I will be the first to make a motion to repeal it."

"All I can ask is that employees try to understand the ever-changing nature of this and how hard it is to navigate," he said.

Commissioner John Stoecklin seconded the motion.

The council, meeting in a social-distancing setup under state COVID guidelines, voted 4-0 to accept.

Commissioner Jim Webb was absent. He had called in earlier in the meeting, but was unable to hear any discussion due to a bad phone connection, so he bowed out.

In other COVID-related issues, Police Chief David Fitts said there are traffic back-ups at the SIH drive-through testing clinic on Outer Drive, and that entrances to neighboring businesses were being blocked. He asked motorists to be mindful. "You are hurting local businesses."

Mayor Absher pointed out that Heartland Regional Medical Center has COVID testing, and that there are other SIH testing locations.