Over the past couple of years, a lot has happened in my life. Two years ago, I faced a decision I had never considered I would have to make, take an experimental shot or lose my job.
I was working in a hospital setting. At the time, the Supreme Court had struck down the OHSA mandate on vaccines. While I was happy to hear this, it did not affect my job. Since working in the hospital, my job has been affected by a separate healthcare worker mandate. It became frustrating for me to hear from friends and family that my career was safe. I know they meant well, but quite simply, they were misinformed.
I became incredibly interested in the federal court cases surrounding the healthcare shot mandate. I received updates on my phone surrounding these rulings. A stay was eventually given, but I could see the writing on the wall. Ultimately, the mandate was upheld by the Supreme Court. However, I found a new job outside of the hospital setting to protect my career.
So, what have I learned?
One, I never want to be put in that position ever again. I received less than a write-up at my position. To have my job threatened due to an order from the President of the United States forever changed me. I know I cannot protect everything in my life, but I do not wish to put my family in a position to bend on my own health decisions/morality or risk financial ruin.
I am no longer naive to the reach of the government. COVID-19 affected all of us. We have all seen negative impacts from the handling of that pandemic. However, up till the healthcare mandate, I hadn’t been personally affected to a large extent. Sure, my community suffered. Sure, I knew horrible stories of other people involved. But aside from being annoyed by masks and social distancing, my family was largely unscathed. Being personally affected by a federal mandate forever changed my thoughts on government overreach. Now, it is personal.
The good news is the past two years have been very productive. I have had an increase in income and enjoyment in my career. I am now wholly self-employed and earning revenue from multiple sources. I don’t think I will ever rely on one income ever again. I don’t wish to be put into that position again.
I have started my counseling practice as well as a podcast. I don’t accept insurance in my counseling practice. I don’t want to have to follow any regulations that insurance companies or the government wish to place on my practice. I started my podcast as having another potential income avenue down the road. And also to shed light on others making a difference in life instead of living in apathy.
So what about you? Were you affected by the COVID shots? Do you think something like that will never happen again? Do you think your job won’t be threatened since you’re a good worker?
War has been the dominant topic of the past two years. First, the Ukraine/Russia conflict and now Israel/Palestine. COVID topics have fallen away and, in many cases, have been swept under the rug. War is serious, but COVID policies were their form of warfare.
Just because it has been two years since these mandates does not mean we need to forget. I will always remember. There is no amnesty.
I urge you to think about your career seriously. How can you structure your career to withstand a future government overreach? Should you lose your job to protect your values, can you structure your finances to help support your family?
I don’t write this to make you paranoid. But I did write it to be prepared. I wish the 2021 version of me had been better prepared. I know the 2023 version of me is in a much better position. So thank you, Biden Administration, for this opportunity. I would not have achieved nearly as much without your overreach.
Wrong Speak is a free-expression platform that allows varying viewpoints. All views expressed in this article are the author's own.
Good job Johnny. I work in healthcare too, non-clinical. We had to get the shot too. I’ve been working remote since March 2020. I got it because I have a wife and daughter with a hereditary heart condition and a mother in law who we care for that if she got Covid would not have survived it. Looking back on it it’s not the first “experimental” shot I received from the government. I’m a veteran. We’ll just leave it there. It was mandatory and I was the analyst that tracked vaccination status and exemptions for our employees. I have an interesting story on underreporting of people being let go for not being vaccinated. I believe managers used different reasons to try and hide it so a good employee wasn’t penalized for not getting the jab. Anyway I’m planning to do what you did with multiple income streams too. If you’ve got any advice, I’m willing to listen.