CHICAGO (AP) — A judge has suspended a Dec. 31 deadline for Chicago police officers to be vaccinated against COVID-19. But he didn’t interfere with a requirement that officers be regularly tested.
The restraining order only applies to members of the Fraternal Order of Police, according to ABC 7 Chicago.
Police unions had sought a restraining order against the city of Chicago.
Judge Raymond Mitchell says the dispute over getting vaccinations should be handled by an arbitrator as a labor grievance. Mitchell says having a grievance heard seems like a “pretty modest task.”
Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration announced the vaccine policy weeks ago. Officers were required to submit their vaccination status by Oct. 15 and unvaccinated officers were required to be fully vaccinated by Dec. 31.
WGN reports that 32 officers were put on a no-pay status for not reporting their vaccination status.
The union wants those officers to return to work while it negotiates with the city about the vaccine mandate, according to WGN.
