Pittsburgh officials announce mask requirements for unvaccinated employees

Pittsburgh officials announced that vaccination will be required for any new hires on Friday, a day after Allegheny County leaders announced a similar mandate for new county employees.

In addition, any current employees who are not vaccinated will have to wear masks at all times inside city facilities.

Officials said the mandates apply to all city government buildings and satellite sites like public safety and public works buildings, community and recreation centers, and healthy living and senior centers.

Beginning Aug. 16, any non-union city employee will either need to be vaccinated or take a weekly covid-19 test in addition to wearing the masks.

Officials said they plan to meet with the unions representing certain employees to discuss vaccination and testing requirements.

On Thursday, County Executive Rich Fitzgerald announced similar measures for all county employees.

The new county-level policies take effect Monday. They apply to executive branch employees, including contracted employees.

“We have over 6,000 employees who serve the public – who come into contact with the public on a daily basis in many ways,” Fitzgerald said. “We want to make sure that those who come in contact, who we are serving, feel safe.”

On the other hand, he said, county employees should feel safe working among their co-workers.

He said the county had offered a $100 incentive to employees who received the vaccine and showed proof of vaccination. About two-thirds of county employees received the vaccine.

“Unfortunately, about a third of our county employees have not,” he said.

In addition to the mask requirement – which includes when an unvaccinated employee is in a county vehicle with another employee and outdoors when social distancing isn’t an option – they will be subject to testing “constantly,” Fitzgerald said.

“At least once a week and, in many cases, twice a week,” he said.