Only employees not covered by union contracts can be put on unpaid leave at this time.

By Christine Stuart, CTNewsJunkie.com 

Gov. Ned Lamont says 12 probationary employees have been put on unpaid administrative leave for failing to get vaccinated or agree to weekly testing.

As of Thursday night 671 state employees were not in compliance with the mandate.

“Reached out to them more than once. You get vaccinated or you get tested,” Lamont said Friday in Windsor Locks.

Due to labor agreements only probationary employees who aren’t covered by those union contracts will be put on unpaid leave for 45 days before their possible “voluntary termination.”

Lamont said they are reaching out to people to make sure there is no confusion about their options.

When it comes to health care and long-term care workers, “I think the overwhelming number got vaccinated,” Lamont said.

Lamont said he thinks they are getting close to a union agreement on paying for testing beyond the first four weeks.

The state and the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition are working on what the testing requirement will look like going forward.

Andrew Matthews, head of the Connecticut State Troopers Union, said earlier this week that “If it’s a mandate from the employer we want it paid for by the employer and done on company time.”

Republished with permission from CTNewsJunkie.com, all rights reserved.

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