The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, effective September 7, 2021, is implementing a new program titled "Be Vaccinated. Or Get Tested Weekly." This states that if you are not vaccinated or have not uploaded your vaccination information into their portal, you are subject to be COVID tested once a week or be subject to being sent home with no pay. This is clearly discriminatory to anyone regardless of vaccination status. The fact that the agency would separate employees in and of itself is discriminatory.

As employees, we understand that legally we are given a CHOICE to be vaccinated or be tested weekly. What we can not understand is, if vaccinated people are getting COVID-19 AND spreading it, why wouldn't they be tested as well? The answers we are given is that it is to protect the employees as well as the riding public of the MTA. So again, it begs the question : If vaccinated people are getting the virus AND spreading the virus, why wouldn't they be tested as well?

For the sake of public safety, as well as to not segregate employees based on their right to choose what is right for their own bodies, please include ALL employees for this testing regardless of their vaccination status. Vaccinated employees can catch and spread this just as easily as a non-vaccinated employee and both could pose a risk to the riding public. We know as employees the MTA puts a high value on safety. If all employees are not tested, this clearly does not reflect that high value.