City of Portland Will Fire 91 Workers for Refusing Vaccination or Failing to Provide Proof

The city of Portland is poised to fire 91 city employees for failing either to provide proof of vaccination or request an exemption by Oct. 18.

They’re being fired today, Oct. 19.

That represents 1.5% of the city’s 6,146 total employees.

“Employees who have not adhered to the vaccine requirement will be separated from employment effective tomorrow, Oct. 19,” the Bureau of Human Resources said.

Vaccination status is still pending for another 47 employees, which includes employees brought onboard in recent days, those getting their second shots, and those awaiting exemption approval.

Another 342 city employees received a religious or medical exemption.

The city says it will not share bureau-specific numbers: “Releasing any information that could potentially identify an employee’s confidential health information presents both privacy and safety concerns and we take these matters very seriously.”

And Mayor Ted Wheeler says he won’t try to enforce a vaccine mandate on Portland Police Bureau officers, who have an exemption courtesy of state policy.

Just last week, Multnomah County released its updated vaccination numbers: 99% of its workers were vaccinated, partially vaccinated or had applied for an exemption.