New York Codes, Rules and Regulations
Title 14 - DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HYGIENE
Chapter XIII - Office of Mental Health
Part 557 - COVID-19 Vaccination Program
Section 557.5 - Testing and Vaccination Requirements for Hospitals and STARC Programs
Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 39, September 25, 2024
(a) Hospitals and STARC Programs shall require Staff to be Fully Vaccinated.
(b) New Staff shall not commence their duties until they have been Fully Vaccinated.
(c) A reasonable accommodation may be made for Staff who have a documented health condition that prevents them from complying with the vaccine requirements herein. When a reasonable accommodation is approved for a Staff member, they must comply with the following testing provisions.
(d) Staff who have been granted such a reasonable accommodation are required to undergo diagnostic screening testing. Employers and supervisors may choose either antigen or molecular tests, based upon the appropriateness to their setting, to satisfy this requirement. Staff must be tested at least once weekly. Any test used must either have Emergency Use Authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or be operating per the Laboratory Developed Test requirements of the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
(e) Any Staff who work in Hospitals or STARC Programs who do not comply with the provisions of this Part shall not be permitted to report to work.
(f) Staff for whom a positive test result is received must comply with Office and New York State Department of Health regulations and guidance applicable to those who receive a positive test result.
(g) Hospitals and STARC Programs shall maintain records of their compliance with the requirements of this Part. Upon request by the Office, Hospitals and STARC Programs shall verify the vaccination status of all Staff, and must provide such requested information to the Office. Each Hospital or STARC Program shall require Staff to produce documentation to show all vaccine administrations. Acceptable documentation of vaccination status shall consist of one of the following:
(h) All Staff who are not Fully Vaccinated, or for whom vaccine status is unknown or documentation is not provided, must be considered unvaccinated.