New York City sanitation workers investigated for allegedly using fake vaccination cards

New York City's Department of Sanitation is investigating allegations that employees used fake vaccination cards to maintain their employment, the department confirmed to CBS News on Monday. All municipal workers in the city must be vaccinated against COVID-19, or will be placed on unpaid leave, according to a city-wide mandate announced by Mayor Bill de Blasio announced last month.

"These are very concerning allegations and we take them very seriously – getting vaccinated is important to public health, and we do not tolerate anyone faking something that is a requirement of City employment," Joshua Goodman, the department's assistant commissioner for public affairs, told CBS News via email. Goodman said anyone found to have faked their vaccination will be suspended without pay.

Goodman did not say how many employees were being investigated, but noted that over 87% of the department's roughly 10,000 employees are either fully or partially vaccinated.