How I Lost My Job To Vaccine Mandates

The Beginning of the End

The Fall of 2021 became a trial by fire I had never imagined I would endure. My small-town Community College in Washington implemented the COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate for state workers unrelentingly. Collateral damage occurred as even vaccinated staff/faculty who spoke in support of our medical choice were fired as well.

I don’t, at all, consider myself an anti-vaxxer. In fact, I had made several online appointments for the jab, that I later canceled. The rollout of this vaccine seemed too quick to flush out side effects adequately. Candidly, I was also afraid to be one of the guinea pigs who would have an adverse reaction. I respected everyone’s own decisions in this process. But my hesitancy cost me and around 20 others, our jobs.

The Process

The request process for Exemption and Accommodation (needed both to remain employed) was humiliating. Medical exemptions were not allowed. Religious exceptions required 3 “interviews” with the VP of Human Resources and the President and Department Head. In these meetings, I was to convince them my Religious beliefs were sincere.

In my initial Zoom interview, I told leadership I was not an anti-vaxxer, rather I thought the informed choice was important and this mandate nullified that right. I emphasized that I was fighting against the harsh local implementation of the mandate. Additionally, I pointed out that erasing years of work experience in education and a Master’s degree because of this single element seemed unduly severe. Especially when other state agencies were gladly accommodating valued employees.

My request for Accommodations seemed appropriate for my position as Accessibility Specialist for Digital Content in E-Learning. Since most of the training I provided was online, requesting an accommodation or masking and social distancing felt sensible if I were to be on campus.

The Result

Nonetheless, my best efforts to stay employed and champion Accessibility for All were thwarted. My Exemption was approved but my Accommodations were denied. Therefore, I was kicked to the proverbial curb since both Exemption and Accommodation needed to be approved to remain employed.

My two-page termination letter read (in part):

Performing the essential functions of your position unvaccinated at the worksite poses a threat to the health or safety of yourself and others in the workplace. The CDC and DOH have determined that COVID-19 is highly contagious and potentially fatal, especially to those who are unvaccinated. (The survival rate was well known at 95%-98%.)

Masking and social distancing will not substantially reduce the risk of substantial harm. (Why, then, did we have a mask mandate? This is not science.)

As your request for an accommodation has been denied, you are no longer allowed to work or to be on campus after October 17, 2021. (Banned from a public campus that required no proof of any other vaccine for either student, staff or faculty.)

To date, you have not provided proof you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. As such, you are no longer qualified to remain employed by WWCC.

I was granted an additional opportunity to talk with the president and produce any further evidence which might save my job. I declined to participate in another Zoom call under duress.

My final, final termination letter came certified on October 27, saying I was terminated as of October 26th and my benefits would end on October 31st.

Looking Back

In retrospect, I can truly say my humiliation and firing was less egregious than what some of my amazing colleagues and students experienced. For example:

The FULLY vaccinated, 30-year faculty member who was fired for sending an all-staff email in September requesting campus-wide dialogue before the mandate took effect in an effort to show support for the unvaxxed.

The FULLY vaccinated online math instructor who was fired for refusing to show her vaccination card in protest of the way her peers were being treated. Including one of her online math colleagues who was called on vacation only to be told she was also fired.

The female Volleyball coach (who previously had a Covid infection), whose team met with the College President whereby he said their coach didn’t care about them because she chose not to get the vaccine.

Students who were banned from coming on campus to access needed services. Athletes were allowed to come to campus to practice/participate in games only. But could not go into their physical classrooms.

These people, who cared enormously about students, quality education, and life, fed my desire to continue to say NO to the insanity of this mandate.

A rough ride? Yes…absolutely. But many of us are in a better work environment (less bullying, more collaboration and appreciation). Two have returned to the college through successful lawsuits and union representation. Students have found a more inclusive school or moved on to the work world.

Me? Two months later, I was hired by a K-12 public school that valued my skills, my professionalism, and my caring heart. The scars of humiliation and defeat are still visible but I have healed and have reclaimed much of the joy lost during this battle.

Carpe Diem