Massachusetts House Members Face Monday Deadline To Get Back To Work In State House
BOSTON (CBS/AP) — The Massachusetts House of Representatives plans to move to the second phase of its reopening of the State House Monday.
Members of the House were told on November 22 that they need to be "available and able to work in person as a condition of their employment by December 13."
To be considered eligible to work in the building, employees must either show that they have been vaccinated; request and receive a reasonable accommodation due to a qualifying disability or medical condition; or request and receive a reasonable accommodation due to a sincerely held religious belief.
"Today is the day so we'll probably have more to say about that later," said Gov. Charlie Baker.
A source told WBZ-TV, not that many lawmakers were in-person for work on Monday.
Employees who fail to get vaccinated or receive a medical or religious exemption will face a range of actions — from up to five days of unpaid leave if they are in violation of the policy on Dec. 13, to up to an additional 10 days of unpaid leave, indefinite unpaid leave or other disciplinary actions if they remain in violation of the policy.
The state Senate recently extended their work from home protocols until next spring.
The State House has been closed to visitors since the start of the pandemic, but it is open to lawmakers, however most are working remotely.
During the winter, House leaders hope to welcome larger numbers of lawmakers and employees to work out of the building on a permanent basis — with the ultimate goal of once again opening the building to the general public.
(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
