Termination From Employer For Refusing EUV

[RaineyRN7]

I am an Oncology nurse working for a hospital for more than 13 years. I live in California and there is now a mandate in place that is requiring me to be vaccinated before Sept. 30th or I will be terminated from my job. Not only do I not feel comfortable to receive a EUV that no long term studies have been documented because it is too new and not FDA approved but I have also witnessed friends as well as patients having severe side effects after receiving vaccination.

I am unclear how an employer has the LEGAL RIGHT to ask me personal questions about my religious beliefs or medical information (vaccination status), where are my HIPAA Rights. Employer vaccine mandates are subject to religious accommodation under the Title VII of the Civil rights act. For personal reasons I will be submitting for religious exemption to hopefully prevent me from losing my job. 

I'm not sure what the outcome will be but I am planning to seek employment elsewhere in case I do lose my job and likely it won't be in healthcare. I don't know if this will be the end of my nursing career and if it is I feel extremely sad about that. 

What happened to the phrase " my body my choice " ? 

I will not be forced to do anything to my body that I do not choose.

 Through scripture we know that God values our bodies. Our bodies are said to be a temple of the Holy Spirit, and we are called to take care of and honor God's temple. God's words lead use to use our bodies and the gifts He has given us to achieve the will of God.

[macawake, MSN]

1 hour ago, Lorraine Shea said:

I am an Oncology nurse working for a hospital for more than 13 years. I live in California and there is now a mandate in place that is requiring me to be vaccinated before Sept. 30th or I will be terminated from my job. Not only do I not feel comfortable to receive a EUV that no long term studies have been documented because it is too new and not FDA approved but I have also witnessed friends as well as patients having severe side effects after receiving vaccination.

I am unclear how an employer has the LEGAL RIGHT to ask me personal questions about my religious beliefs or medical information (vaccination status), where are my HIPAA Rights. Employer vaccine mandates are subject to religious accommodation under the Title VII of the Civil rights act. For personal reasons I will be submitting for religious exemption to hopefully prevent me from losing my job. 

I'm not sure what the outcome will be but I am planning to seek employment elsewhere in case I do lose my job and likely it won't be in healthcare. I don't know if this will be the end of my nursing career and if it is I feel extremely sad about that. 

What happened to the phrase " my body my choice " ? 

I will not be forced to do anything to my body that I do not choose.

 Through scripture we know that God values our bodies. Our bodies are said to be a temple of the Holy Spirit, and we are called to take care of and honor God's temple. God's words lead use to use our bodies and the gifts He has given us to achieve the will of God.

Hi there! This is your first post here so I’m guessing there’s a reason you made it? Do you have any questions you want to ask us? The legal questions are probably best left to those with legal training, but do you have a vaccin or public health related question?

Or did you just post this to tell us that you think it’s acceptable for a healthcare professional to work with oncology patients, and still not want to get vaccinated against an infectious disease that could well kill them? You can probably figure out how I feel about that choice simply from how I worded my question.

Does your God value only your body, but not the bodies and lives of cancer patients? How does that work? If you feel that you are called to honor your body, why isn’t trying to keep it and the bodies of other human beings healthy, the right way to honor it? You protect yourself and others by getting vaccinated. I genuinely don’t understand why this a difficult choice to make. 

Severe side effects from Covid-19 vaccines are extremely rare. Severe side effects, including death, from a Covid-19 infection are much more common. Let us know if you want me or other posters to provide the scientific evidence that shows just that. 

There is ample data available that demonstrates that the vaccines are safe and effective, certainly safer than an infection. Can you be persuaded by facts, or is your mind already made up?

If the problem is that the mRNA vaccines are only granted EUA at this time, that problem will likely become a moot point in the near future. 

You asked what happened to your body, your choice? It’s still your choice, but it’s a choice that might come with consequences. Most choices in life have those. It might not be a fun or easy choice, but it is a choice.

As I mentioned, many members here can answer questions about the vaccines if you are open to considering the science behind them. But if you don’t want to embrace the scientific evidence then I personally think that it would be better if you did find another job. The patient population that you work with is very vulnerable and there are many other non-nursing jobs and a few nursing jobs where you can work from home, that would be a better fit if you are adamant about not getting vaccinated.

[toomuchbaloney]

47 minutes ago, Lorraine Shea said:

I am an Oncology nurse working for a hospital for more than 13 years. I live in California and there is now a mandate in place that is requiring me to be vaccinated before Sept. 30th or I will be terminated from my job. Not only do I not feel comfortable to receive a EUV that no long term studies have been documented because it is too new and not FDA approved but I have also witnessed friends as well as patients having severe side effects after receiving vaccination.

I am unclear how an employer has the LEGAL RIGHT to ask me personal questions about my religious beliefs or medical information (vaccination status), where are my HIPAA Rights. Employer vaccine mandates are subject to religious accommodation under the Title VII of the Civil rights act. For personal reasons I will be submitting for religious exemption to hopefully prevent me from losing my job. 

I'm not sure what the outcome will be but I am planning to seek employment elsewhere in case I do lose my job and likely it won't be in healthcare. I don't know if this will be the end of my nursing career and if it is I feel extremely sad about that. 

What happened to the phrase " my body my choice " ? 

I will not be forced to do anything to my body that I do not choose.

 Through scripture we know that God values our bodies. Our bodies are said to be a temple of the Holy Spirit, and we are called to take care of and honor God's temple. God's words lead use to use our bodies and the gifts He has given us to achieve the will of God.

I bet you were looking for sympathy for your reckless choice to not vaccinate but you won't find it with most health professionals here.  It would be best if you kept your unfounded "concerns" about these vaccines to yourself, that might help you get employment in an area with fewer immunocompromised patients to avoid. 

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

1 hour ago, Lorraine Shea said:

I am unclear how an employer has the LEGAL RIGHT to ask me personal questions about my religious beliefs or medical information (vaccination status), where are my HIPAA Rights. 

 

Employers or anyone else asking if you are vaccinated has nothing to do with HIPAA law. 

No one is going to "force you" to do anything. While the choice may seem unfair (vaccine or job), it nevertheless remains your CHOICE. No one is going to stick you with a needle without your consent.

Besides, you've made it clear that you are going to get out of it by claiming some kind of religious objection. Nothing to worry about, right?

 

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

I'm in CA, too, and all CA healthcare workers must be vaccinated by Sept. 30 or have a religious or medical exemption.

Employers will not ask personal questions about religious beliefs or medical history unless the employee chooses to apply for a religious or medical exemption.

Side effects to the vaccine are rare, as Macawake said, but I'm more concerned about side effects to COVID.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

6 minutes ago, Nurse Beth said:

I'm in CA, too, and all CA healthcare workers must be vaccinated by Sept. 30 or have a religious or medical exemption.

Employers will not ask personal questions about religious beliefs or medical history unless the employee chooses to apply for a religious or medical exemption.

Side effects to the vaccine are rare, as Macawake said, but I'm more concerned about side effects to COVID.

Then the extreme antivaxxers will all just lie or conveniently find religion. 

[toomuchbaloney]

3 minutes ago, Horseshoe said:

Then the extreme antivaxxers will all just lie or conveniently find religion. 

It seems that a large swath of the unvaccinated public has trouble discerning lies from truth or religion from zealotry. 

[macawake, MSN]

5 minutes ago, Horseshoe said:

Then the extreme antivaxxers will all just lie or conveniently find religion. 

This is something that is so very hard for me to understand. I’m not trying to start an argument here, but it is my understanding of Christianity and most other religions that I know of, that protecting the vulnerable and needy is expected of us. Have I got that wrong?

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

9 minutes ago, macawake said:

This is something that is so very hard for me to understand. I’m not trying to start an argument here, but it is my understanding of Christianity and most other religions that I know of, that protecting the vulnerable and needy is expected of us. Have I got that wrong?

No, you don't. 

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

41 minutes ago, macawake said:

This is something that is so very hard for me to understand. I’m not trying to start an argument here, but it is my understanding of Christianity and most other religions that I know of, that protecting the vulnerable and needy is expected of us. Have I got that wrong?

 

You are 100% correct. ALL major religions stress serving our fellow man. 

“For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature.

Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.”

~ Galatians 5:13 NLT

[toomuchbaloney]

Indeed...the refusal to vaccinate is not religion, it's zealotry.  These folks are extremists. 

[Thanksforthedonuts, MSN, APRN]

2 hours ago, toomuchbaloney said:

I bet you were looking for sympathy for your reckless choice to not vaccinate but you won't find it with most health professionals here.  It would be best if you kept your unfounded "concerns" about these vaccines to yourself, that might help you get employment in an area with fewer immunocompromised patients to avoid. 

What’s reckless? She has a choice to decide if she is at risk for developing serious disease or death.