9,000 Unvaccinated N.Y.C. Workers Put on Unpaid Leave as Mandate Begins

Mayor Bill de Blasio said thousands more did get the shot and that the first day of the vaccine mandate went smoothly, without significant service disruptions.

Hundreds of firefighters called in sick in what appeared to be an organized protest. Sanitation workers were playing catch up, after garbage collection lagged last week.

But for the most part, New York City’s vast municipal work force returned to work as usual on Monday, with more than a few sore arms and new vaccination cards, as the city’s coronavirus vaccine mandate for its employees went into effect, officials said.

“We’re not seeing disruptions to any city services,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said late Monday morning.