Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has directed executive branch state agency heads to prepare for their employees to be placed on unpaid leave starting next week due to non-compliance with executive orders requiring COVID-19 vaccination or testing. State employees have until 11:59 p.m. on Monday, October 4, 2021, to provide proof of vaccination or compliance with weekly testing requirements. State agencies will begin to place non-complaint employees on unpaid leave as soon as Tuesday, October 5, but no later than Monday, October 11.
Thousands of state employees have submitted their required documentation already this week. As of this afternoon, more than 20,000 (63%) have indicated they are fully vaccinated, nearly 4,000 (12%) have started weekly testing, and just over 8,000 (25%) are still in non-compliant status, a reduction of over 2,000 in the past two days.
To prepare for possible staffing shortages, Governor Lamont has instructed Major General Francis Evon to begin planning for Connecticut National Guard activation. In the event agencies that provide critical health and safety services need assistance, members of the Connecticut National Guard may be deployed under state active duty to support operations until replacement employees can be hired or non-compliant employees come into compliance.