The city and Spokane Firefighters Union have reached an agreement that will bring three unvaccinated employees back to dispatch and one to the Fire Prevention Bureau.
A fire mechanic will also be allowed to return to work thanks to updated guidance from the Department of Health.
Officials say the unvaccinated employees will have to follow the current indoor masking requirements and not work in a health care capacity. They will also be subject to regular COVID-19 testing.
In a department of 331 positions, that leaves just six employees who retired or resigned and 10 who chose one of the several leave options offered by the city ahead of Governor Jay Inslee’s October vaccination mandate deadline for health care workers.
The new accommodations bring the department’s compliance with the mandate to about 95 percent. (Spokesman Review)
