CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Nearly 600 Mecklenburg County employees were suspended on Wednesday without pay for violating the county’s COVID-19 testing and vaccination policy.
Beginning September 7th, county employees were required to complete weekly COVID-19 tests, if they were not vaccinated or had not submitted their vaccination status.
On Wednesday, county officials say 598 employees received suspension notices for not complying with the countywide policy.
The Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department was hit the hardest, with 221 employees being suspended, followed by the Department of Social Services, with 128 employees being suspended.
Officials say these employees will remain on unpaid suspension until they provide proof of vaccination or submit a negative COVID-19 test.
County officials say almost 70 percent of the county’s full time employees are fully vaccinated, which means the non-compliant employees make up 13.5 percent of current active employees.