FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 16, 2021
MARTA TO REQUIRE WEEKLY
COVID TESTING FOR UNVACCINATED EMPLOYEES
ATLANTA – The
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) will begin requiring
weekly COVID-19 testing for unvaccinated employees beginning Monday, Oct. 4.
Vaccinated employees must submit or upload a copy of their vaccination card to
Human Resources to avoid weekly testing.
Almost half of
MARTA employees are fully vaccinated, according to information available
through county health departments, health benefits providers, and vaccination
appointments scheduled through MARTA. An online and in-person survey conducted
by MARTA Research & Analysis revealed most vaccinated employees work at
headquarters and railyards, with bus garages having the lowest vaccination
rate.
“COVID has hit our
frontline employees hard. We’ve had close to 860 people sickened by the virus
and have lost three members of the MARTA family to this insidious virus,” said
MARTA General Manager and CEO Jeffrey Parker. “COVID vaccines are safe,
effective and necessary to bring this pandemic under control. We’ve been
masking and cleaning and social distancing for 18 months now and it’s time to
get our entire workforce vaccinated to protect not only themselves, but their
families, co-workers, and customers.”
MARTA will provide
on-site COVID testing and vaccines for one month at headquarters and bus
garages to make access to these services more convenient. MARTA previously
partnered with CVS and the Urban League to provide onsite vaccination services
at headquarters and Laredo bus garage and has offered vaccine clinics for
employees and customers at various locations. MARTA also held an employee town
hall in conjunction with Morehouse School of Medicine to educate employees
about the vaccine and has a vaccine incentive program for employees that
includes giveaways and additional vacation time.
“These incentives
did result in more vaccinations but we’re still not where we need to be,” said
Chief Administrative Officer Luz Borrero. “We believe this is an occupational
health and safety issue. Since September, we require all new hires to be
vaccinated and are doing all within our power to ensure that the remaining part
of our unvaccinated workforce who do not qualify for a medical or religious
exemption get the vaccine.”
Other large
transit agencies including the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) in New York
City, Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and the Washington Metropolitan Area
Transit Authority (WMATA) in Washington, D.C. have begun similar testing
requirements for unvaccinated workers. Locally, Fulton County recently began
requiring weekly testing of unvaccinated employees.
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