1,887 Washington Workers Fired Following Unconstitutional Vaccine Mandates

By Hikaru Y On Oct 21, 2021

Data revealed Tuesday by the Department of Labor & Industries indicate that over 1,800 Washington state employees have been dismissed, resigned, or retired due to the COVID-19 vaccination requirement.

The latest statistics released by the governor’s Office of Financial Management indicate that around 3% of New York’s roughly 63,000-person workforce was covered by the law, and another 4.6% — or 2,887 — are pending because they are either in the process of receiving a job accommodation, planning to retire, getting vaccinated, or awaiting agency separation.

1,887 people are no longer employed (of the total 2,400), 1,696 were let go, 112 resigned, and 79 retired.

Of those still working, the state reported that 95% had been immunized, including the 1,927 who received a medical or religious exemption and a work accommodation.

Thousands of workers in Washington were required to show proof of vaccination by Monday, as a prerequisite for their continued employment. The obligation — issued by Gov. Jay Inslee in August — applies to most state employees, long-term care employees, and teachers and staff at the state’s schools, including colleges and universities.

Every state agency had separations, according to the data released Tuesday. The Department of Transportation had the greatest number of departures, with 462 workers leaving as a result of the law, followed by the Department of Corrections (429 people), including 308 separations from a dozen prisons. The Washington State Patrol and the Department of Social and Health Services each lost staff of 100.

The Washington State Patrol has said that 74 commissioned cops, 67 troopers, six sergeants, and one major have left the force as a result of the policy. According to the Office of Financial Management’s data, 127 persons at the state patrol were sacked, 15 resigned, and 17 retired because of the current vaccine mandate.

“We will miss every one of them,” Chief John Batiste said in a statement.

The state will assess staffing consequences and adjust resources as needed, according to Patrol officials. They also said that they would be looking for three new academy classes in the following months.

The vaccination law in Washington, which applies to over 800,000 American workers, is considered one of the most stringent in the nation.

Not only are state employees required to be vaccinated, but any contractor who wishes to work with the government must follow the implemented instructions.

The rest of the workforce covered by the duty, about 400,000 are health care professionals, 155,000 are in K-12 education, 118,000 work in childcare and early learning, and 90,000 work in higher education.

“I am confident that state services, health care, and educational instruction and services will continue with minimal disruption,” Inslee said in a written statement Monday night.

On October 5, the governor’s office announced that it would suspend jail transfers to the Department of Corrections from October 25 through November 5.

“This was a precautionary measure that we’ve been taking for some time because of the coronavirus delta variant, and it’s not connected to employee loss,” said Tara Lee, a spokeswoman for Inslee.

Hundreds of public sector workers who sued to block the requirement have staged protests and filed lawsuits, but a Thurston County judge on Monday was the latest to deny an attempt by dozens of government workers to quash it.

Republicans Sen. John Braun and Rep. J.T. Wilcox said that Inslee “underestimates the potential influence of his decisions” in a joint statement.

Presently in this wee, over 78% of people over the age of 12 have initiated vaccination in Washington state, and out of them, 72% are fully vaccinated.