Aparna Komarla of the Covid-in-Custody Project reports that a sheriff’s office claims it is complying with state law on ascertaining its employees’ vaccination status, but is not releasing information in response to freedom of information requests because it would violate employees’ medical privacy.
Our most recent public records request for the staff vaccination rate, however, received a different response. We were told that the Sacramento sheriff’s office is implementing and complying with the CDPH’s July 2021 health order, but they would not release their vaccination rate as it violated the employees’ medical privacy rights.
“The Sheriff’s Office strongly values our employees’ privacy and is concerned with the risk of unlawful data collection regarding employee medical data,” read their response. They cited California Government Code 6254(c.) and 6255, which give public agencies the right to not release files that are an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.
Read more from the Project at DavisVanguard.