CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin has asked city council members in recent weeks to approve a request to provide city employees with a financial incentive for getting vaccinated for the coronavirus and its likely to come up at Tuesday’s meeting.
Goodwin’s request would involve the city providing employees with either a $500 cash payment or a $500 contribution to their Health Savings Account if they are fully vaccinated. Local, state and national health officials continue to report increasing coronavirus cases and hospitalizations.
She told 580-WCHS about the proposal, “Our hospitals are now seeing a sharp uptick. Our health department is seeing a sharp uptick. Our school cases are on the rise.”
“All of those are concerning, but what is most concerning to me as mayor and my job and my responsibility that we have as a city government is that I have 778 employees. Eighty percent are essential workforce.”
Goodwin also noted that previous to the announcement of the proposal, she received approval from leaders of the Charleston Police Department, Charleston Fire Department and other agencies.
City employees would have until Oct. 31 to submit their vaccination information to the city’s Human Resources Department and be eligible to receive funding, 580-WCHS previously reported. Funding for the initiative would come from federal coronavirus relief dollars, which the mayor’s office estimates would cost the city around $450,000 if all city employees participate.
The vaccination program would be voluntary.