Proof of Vaccination or Regular Testing Required for All Treasury Staff
General Treasurer Seth Magaziner announced today that, in the week since he announced the policy requiring staff in his office to either provide proof of vaccination or submit to regular testing, all of the 82 active staff in his office have demonstrated compliance. The Treasurer further stated this success demonstrates the policy can and should be expanded to all state and school employees.
"The COVID-19 policies we have adopted at the Treasury have been proven effective at preventing the spread of COVID-19 in our workspaces and our communities," said Treasurer Seth Magaziner. "Times of crisis call for strong leadership. We need our leaders to follow the examples of the federal government and other states and implement these policies for all state and school employees in Rhode Island."
Out of the 82 active staff currently employed in the Office of the General Treasurer, 77, or 94%, have shown proof of vaccination or are planning to become fully vaccinated in the coming month. The remaining 5 staff have indicated that they are willing to submit to regular testing.
The updated COVID-19 office protocols issued by Treasurer Magaziner mirror President Biden's plan for federal employees and policies of other states including California, Hawaii, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Virginia, Washington, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia.
The previous office protocols followed updated guidance requiring staff to wear masks indoors in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines given Rhode Island's status as an area with substantial spread [npr.org] of the COVID-19 virus and more contagious Delta variant. Rhode Island has since moved into the "high" category of COVID- 19 community transmission, the highest tier of the CDC's indicator.
The Office of the General Treasurer remains fully operational in service to the people of Rhode Island. This policy is being implemented to help ensure that the staff and members of the public are kept safe in all three office locations.