California ends mandatory COVID-19 testing for most unvaccinated state workers

Unvaccinated state employees will no longer be required to take weekly COVID-19 tests after Friday, according to a California Human Resources Department memo.

The state has been requiring weekly tests since July 2021 for unvaccinated workers and those who declined to provide their vaccination status to try to prevent the virus from spreading in state workplaces.

But the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently removed a recommendation to screen for the virus in general community settings, citing the omicron variants’ high transmission rates even among the vaccinated.

The California Department of Public Health amended its guidance as a result, and the state government is following the guidance, CalHR Director Eraina Ortega said in a Tuesday email directive.

However, unvaccinated employees in “high-risk and/or acute health care and long-term care settings” must still be tested weekly, according to the email.

And any department may still be required to provide free testing during paid work time to employees with workplace exposures, including workplace outbreaks, Ortega said in the email.

Last October, when the state was rolling out testing across departments, nearly 40% of state employees were unvaccinated, according to CalHR data. About 22% remain unvaccinated, according to updated figures provided by spokeswoman Camille Travis.

She said state departments have reported administering more than 1.8 million tests, with about 30,000 positives, since testing began.

“Your commitment to making this program a success undoubtedly protected employees and ensured services to Californians were not interrupted,” Ortega said in the email.