FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Broward County is rolling out an incentive program to get people vaccinated against COVID-19, but some cities in the area are prepared to make vaccination a job requirement.
Vaccine mandates are going into effect in some South Florida cities, and the governor isn’t happy about it.
“Let’s be more understanding of people, and let’s try to educate and provide data and information, but let’s not threaten somebody’s job or livelihood over this issue,” said Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The City of Plantation told all of its employees in a memo that they must have the first vaccine by Sept. 30 and the second shot by Oct. 30, or they’ll be placed on leave without pay.
Pembroke Pines’s fire department employees must get the shot, as do workers in the City of Weston, or face weekly testing.
But DeSantis, at a press conference in Alachua County on Monday, said cities will pay the price.
“If a government agency in the state of Florida forces a vaccine as a condition to employment, that violates Florida law,” he said. “You will face a $5,000 fine for every single violation.”
He’s referring to a bill passed in the spring that doesn’t allow businesses or government agencies to require proof of vaccines from those trying to use their services.
Some argue employees are not part of that law.
Although on Thursday, at Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, he wasn’t clear on how that would happen.
“Hopefully, it doesn’t come to that, but the bottom line is firing somebody will result in those kinds of consequences,” DeSantis said.
Broward County announced Wednesday a $500 incentive for those who get the shot.
“If you fail to show us proof of vaccination within that 60 days, the first pay period after those 60 days, you will start being docked $20,” said Broward County Mayor Steven Geller. “We believe it is in compliance with the governor’s order and the legislature’s statute.”
“I think offering incentives, providing information and encouraging, I think, is well within their rights, and I think that would be totally appropriate,” DeSantis said. “What’s not appropriate under Florida law is to fire somebody based on this issue.”
Whether the governor’s office will be able to actually impose those fines and whether or not that law actually does include employees are likely questions that will have to be answered in court.
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