Baltimore to Pay Vaccinated City Employees $1,000 After Mandating Vax in October

The city of Baltimore on Tuesday announced vaccinated city employees and those who get the jab before January 14 will receive $1,000.

The City Administrator, Christopher Shorter, and Mayor Brandon M. Scott (D) issued a joint statement to announce the policy in which those who refuse the October vaccine mandate “will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.”

Administrator Shorter stated the program will incentivise more vaccinations to prioritize the Baltimore community’s safety:

It is our hope that together the vaccine mandate and incentive program will push more of our City employees to get vaccinated and upload their status. We remain focused on prioritizing the safety of our workforce and the communities they serve so that we can continue to provide efficient and effective services throughout this pandemic.”

Mayor Scott said Baltimore is still in a pandemic and that residents are still dying from the virus. “We are still in a pandemic. People are still losing their lives and getting seriously ill because they are not vaccinated,” Scott said.

About 9,238 employees have reportedly become fully vaccinated while 3,303 have not reported their status, according to Baltimore City’s Department of Human Resources. The vaccination data also suggests 73.7 percent are vaccinated in total.

Among non-city employed residents in Baltimore, about 66.6 percent are fully vaccinated.

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