COVID-19 compliance information and resources for City workers

If you are unable or choose not to verify your fully vaccinated status, you will be required to submit proof of a negative COVID-19 screening test every seven (7) days by uploading a copy of your negative COVID-19 screening test results to the online portal. 

If you have received one dose of a two-dose vaccine series, you will also be required to submit proof of a negative COVID-19 screening test until your second dose is received. Upon receipt of a second required dose, you should return to the portal to verify your full vaccination status and upload your completed vaccine card or verification document. 

We recommend that you prepare to comply with this policy by taking the following steps in advance: 

1. Make a plan to get tested so you are able to receive your results before you are required to upload them to the portal. Check the map of COVID-19 testing facilities around the city and find a site that is accessible to you. 

2. Reach out to the provider before you go to get tested. Testing facilities have varying hours and policies regarding the availability of asymptomatic testing and insurance coverage. Check online or call ahead and ask the following questions: 

• Do I need to have symptoms to get tested? 
• Is testing free? 
• Is it a walk-up or a drive-thru site? 
• Do I need to make an appointment? 
• How soon will I get my results?
• How will I receive my results? 

3. When you receive your negative test result, save it as a digital file so you are ready to upload it to the portal. 

• Review your name, employee ID number, Department and email address, which will automatically populate. 
• Enter the date of your negative COVID test.
• Attach proof of your negative test result. You cannot submit a case without  negative test documentation attached. 
• Check the box to affirm that the information is correct.
• Click Submit.

4. Congratulations! You did it. After a successful submission, you will be redirected to the COVID Compliance Portal homepage, where you can log out.
   
5. Watch for email notifications. You will receive two email notifications:

• the first shortly after you submit your documentation, and
• the second after your documentation is reviewed and approved (or rejected if something is missing). 

Once you receive an electronic verification that your documentation was received and accepted, you are all set until the next seven (7) day cycle begins. At that time, you will repeat the process.

If you receive a positive screening test result, you must report your positive status to the City, as required by the City policy titled Temporary Modifications to the City of Boston Attendance Policy and Return to Work Guidelines.

UPLOADING YOUR VACCINATION VERIFICATION DOCUMENTS TO THE PORTAL

If you have a question about your Access Boston account, check out the Access Boston help page. There is always a NEED HELP? link in the lower right hand corner of any page associated with Access Boston if you need more information. The DoIT Service Desk is also available at 617-635-7378.

The COVID Compliance Portal is optimized for mobile devices.  That means you can complete this process from your:

smartphones

tablets, or

other handheld devices. 

When taking a photo of your documentation to upload to the portal using your mobile device, ensure:

• the document is lying flat on an empty surface
• the entire document is captured in the photo, and
• the image is clear and readable.

When uploading your documentation to the portal using your mobile device:

• click “Add Attachment” and open your camera roll, scroll to find the image, and
• select the image and click "Add".

If you must use paper forms to submit your vaccine verification or negative test result documentation, here’s how you can access the forms:

1. Open the files linked below and print from your computer:
   • COVID Vaccine Verification Paper Form
   • Negative COVID Test Verification Form
2. Download and print the forms from the Hub.
   • Both forms will be posted to the COVID Compliance Guide on the Hub under printable forms and materials
3. Visit your Departmental Human Resources representative in-person to obtain a copy of the form you need.

If you are submitting a vaccine verification form, we need this information: 

• FULL NAME:
• BIRTH DATE:
• DEPARTMENT:
• EMPLOYEE/SPONSOR ID:
• EMAIL:
• VACCINE MANUFACTURER:  
• DATE OF 1st DOSE:
• DATE OF 2nd DOSE:
• SIGNATURE:
• Attach a copy (not the original document) of your vaccine card or other COVID-19 vaccination documentation

If you are submitting a negative test result verification form, we need this information:

• FULL NAME
• BIRTH DATE
• EMPLOYEE/SPONSOR ID
• DEPARTMENT
• EMAIL
• DATE OF NEGATIVE TEST
• SIGNATURE
• Attach a copy (not the original document) of your negative screening test result

You will bring your printed form and a copy of your verification documentation (not the original document) to your Department's HR office.

Stay tuned for more information about the paper process. Your Department will be in touch to provide further details.

The City is offering benefit eligible employees up to one (1) hour of paid leave during a workday in order to get vaccinated or tested for COVID-19. 

You may access this leave as follows:

For COVID-19 vaccination:

For a two-dose vaccination, twice within a 40-day period, at time intervals recommended by the vaccination manufacturer, or health care provider to accommodate the recommended interval between vaccination doses. For a one-dose vaccination, once before expiration of this policy.

For COVID-19 testing:

Once within every seven (7) days, whether or not you’ve been vaccinated

All specifics of this paid leave benefit are documented in and governed by the terms set forth in the City of Boston policy titled:

• August 2021 Update to City of Boston Policy: Temporary COVID-19 Paid Leave for Testing and Vaccination

The COVID-19 vaccine is free and available to anyone age 12 and older who lives, studies or works in Massachusetts. 

The City's COVID-19 vaccination website is a useful, multilingual resource for vaccine sites, location maps and other information. The state also provides vaccination location information. 

You can also contact your healthcare provider or call 2-1-1 to seek appointments at medical providers, pharmacies, and other community locations.

Testing will be offered by the City free of charge at various times and locations to allow for and encourage 100% compliance. You may also choose to get tested at a non-City testing facility. 

• See this list of COVID-19 testing sites around the City for additional options.

If you do not verify your fully vaccinated status or submit the required proof of a negative test, you will be placed on unpaid administrative leave until:

• verification of full vaccination, or
• a reasonable accommodation is approved if required by law. 

Rather than be placed on unpaid administrative leave, you may choose to use your own:

• accrued vacation, or
• personal or compensatory leave, not including sick time. 

Employees will remain in work status on days on which an employee gets tested and the day following the day the employee gets tested. This allows for a standard window of 48 hours for test processing. No more than the testing day plus one day after testing, for a total of two days, will be allowed for test processing, no matter how many days processing may actually take.

Here’s an example (for illustrative purposes only):

If Employee ABC gets tested on Monday, but does not receive and upload test results until Thursday, the employee would be in work status on Monday and Tuesday and on unpaid administrative leave on Wednesday and Thursday. Assuming the employee uploads a negative test result on Thursday when it is received, the employee would be back in work status on Friday.

Continued failure to verify vaccination status or submit to regular scheduled testing will be grounds for discipline up to and including termination. Employees with civil service protections will have a hearing with the Office of Labor Relations and their union, scheduled within five (5) days of being placed on unpaid administrative leave.

If you are in need of a reasonable accommodation due to a medical reason or because of a sincerely held religious belief, you must complete and submit the appropriate documentation to the Office of Human Resources (OHR):

For medical accommodations, the certification:

• must be signed by a health care provider, and
• must certify that the employee is under the provider’s medical care and should be exempt from receiving the COVID-19 vaccination due to medical contraindications.  

Please note: A vaccination waiver granted for medical reasons does not exempt the employee from the requirement of regular testing.   

For religious accommodations, the certification must be:

• signed by the employee and/or the employee’s religious or spiritual leader 
• expressly certify that political, social, scientific, or other non-religious views are not sufficient justification for a religious exemption under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 [42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2(a)(1), (2)], and
• include the employee’s explanation of their religious or religious-type beliefs and why those beliefs prevent vaccination or testing, or both. 

You can find the accommodation forms on this page in the "Printable Resources and Forms" section. Please note: Unless and until a requested accommodation is approved in writing, you are still required to comply with the requirements of the Vaccination Verification or Regular Testing policy.