I am writing to provide an update regarding the vaccination mandate, first announced by the Chancellor earlier this year.
CUNY and the Professional Staff Congress/CUNY (PSC) have agreed to procedures to apply for medical and religious exemptions, as well as the applicable standards and criteria. As of today, Monday, May 2, 2022, employees covered by the mandate may go to CUNYFirst to request a medical exemption or religious exception to the mandate. Detailed instructions can be viewed online. The deadline for submitting such requests through CUNYFirst is May 18, 2022. Criteria and standards for medical and religious exemptions can be reviewed online.
The compliance date for uploading proof of vaccination into CUNYFirst remains at Friday, May 27, 2022.
Anyone who completes the exemption application process as outlined but has not received a response by May 27 will be considered in compliance while the application is pending review. Any change to the status of an application will be communicated via CUNY email so employees should check their messages regularly. Employees can check the status of their application at any time by logging into the vaccine portal of CUNYFirst. An employee whose application for exemption is denied will have six weeks from the date of notification to comply with the vaccine mandate.
As a reminder, CUNY is defining the required number of doses for full vaccination as both doses in a two-shot series (such as Moderna or Pfizer), or the one dose in a single-shot vaccine (such as Johnson & Johnson), without boosters.
Employees who are granted an exemption and are required to work onsite are urged to wear masks in indoor public spaces, and shall be required to test on-site for COVID .
Thank you for your commitment to keeping the CUNY community safe; the COVID-19 vaccines continue to be the most effective response we have to overcome this pandemic.
By Jessica Collura
