The San Francisco Chronicle reports that City Hall employees have returned to their offices for at least two days a week. This is the first time municipal employees have been required to return to work after a year-and-a-half of being allowed to work remotely during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The return coincides with the official beginning of the city government’s vaccine mandate, which became effective today. About 98 percent of the city’s 35,000 workers have complied with the mandate, while more than 800 have not. Those workers who have not complied could be fired.
The city also relaxed its mask mandate two weeks ago, as the overall vaccination rate has risen above 70 percent and COVID-related hospitalizations have remained low.
Some local business leaders are hoping the decision to return workers to City Hall could encourage businesses to do the same with their own workforces.
A recent survey by the Bay Area Council, which tracks economic activity, showed that a third of companies in the Bay Area have already brought back the workers they intend to. Another third, also according to the survey, say they are considering bringing back their in-person workers, at least partially, during the next three to four months.