Los Angeles City Council votes to end COVID-19 vaccination policy for city employees

Los Angeles city employees who left or were fired because of noncompliance to the city's 2021 vaccination policy can now reapply for their positions.

The Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to establish a pathway back to employment to assist some 86 employees who were affected.

The council also voted Tuesday to lift the city's policy requiring municipal employees to be vaccinated for COVID-19.

Council members unanimously approved an ordinance to end the vaccination policy for all current and future city workers retroactive to June 2, as recommended by the city's Executive Employee Relations Committee.

Workers who left or were terminated due to the policy can reapply for their position, but it is not guaranteed they'll get it. Department management would handle the hiring process, as usual.

The city of Los Angeles withdrew its declaration of emergency due to COVID-19 in February 2023, and also eliminated the COVID-19 testing requirement for unvaccinated Los Angeles city employees.

In May 2023, the federal government also declared an end to the COVID-19 public health emergency.

In 2023, several Southern California cities phased out their requirements for workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment, including Long Beach, San Diego and Pasadena. In addition, Los Angeles County, Orange County and the University of California system as well as the Los Angeles Unified School District have also ended that requirement.