OF the 201 employees of the Commonwealth Ports Authority, 196 have completed or are awaiting their second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, CPA Executive Director Christopher Tenorio informed the board of directors on Wednesday.
In February, the CPA board required its members and all CPA employees on Saipan, Tinian and Rota to get the Covid-19 vaccine.
The board said compliance with the policy will be a condition of continued employment with CPA.
In his report to the board on Wednesday, Tenorio said of the 201 employees, 196 or 98% have completed or are in the process of completing their Covid-19 vaccine.
In an interview, Tenorio said four employees who have not taken the vaccine are still on a medical referral trip. He said the employees have indicated that they will take the vaccine as soon as they’re back on island.
The other employee has availed himself of religious accommodations mentioned in the CPA vaccination policy.
The CPA policy states, “If an employee believes s/he needs an accommodation because of his or her sincerely held religious belief, s/he can also request for reasonable accommodations.”
The CPA mandatory vaccination policy states that employees who fail to comply with the requirements will be barred from entering the worksite and may be terminated if proof of vaccination is not provided to CPA within 30 days during which the employee will be placed on leave without pay.
When the policy was approved, only 67 or 25% of CPA employees had been vaccinated.
Commonwealth Ports Authority Executive Director Christopher Tenorio, right, listens to another CPA official during a break from a board meeting on Wednesday in the Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting classroom.
Photo by Emmanuel T. Erediano
