Question:

I’ve been betrayed AGAIN by my employer.

My employer just emailed everyone in our company that they’re ending their vaccine mandate.

This mandate was to protect me. I felt safer at work knowing all my coworkers were vaccinated. I know when I go into stores, I feel safer when the staff wears masks.

I asked my boss why we were eliminating the mandate when unvaccinated coworkers could contract COVID and put the rest of us at risk. He said our company needs to attract new employees, some of whom won’t get vaccinations.

I asked him, “What about us?”

He said, “Your vaccinations protect you. If you do get COVID, it won’t be serious.”

I dug through my inbox and found my employer’s one page email detailing how the vaccine mandate was necessary to protect us. Is this the wave of the future despite the new variants that are sweeping through the country? How can I fight this?

Answer:

Yes, it’s a wave of the future.  

Many employers are rolling back their vaccine mandates. Less than 40% of employers require their employers to get vaccinated.1

As you suspect, employers like yours could lose long-term employees who felt safer when you knew your coworkers were vaccinated.

Further, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, allowing unvaccinated employees in the workplace increases the risk that employees will get infected and spread contagion. During the Omicron wave, unvaccinated individuals were five times as likely to become infected as did fully vaccinated individuals.2

Here’s what you can do—request the flexibility to work from home.

You have leverage. According to risk and liability experts, employers that roll back their vaccine mandates may face liability from employees who don’t want to work in alongside unvaccinated coworkers.3 When their employers don’t allow them to work remotely and terminate them for not coming onto the company worksite, it potentially creates liability for unfair firing due to retaliation.3 

1 https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-14/as-companies-end-vaccine-mandates-workers-are-becoming-enraged

2 https://www.latimes.com/science/newsletter/2022-02-15/coronavirus-today-are-we-done-with-covid-coronavirus-today

3 https://riskandinsurance.com/vaccine-mandate-update-how-the-latest-legal-rulings-could-influence-epli-coverage/

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7 thoughts on “Betrayed by My Employer — How Can I Fight Back?

  1. I read this as much for the advice and encouragement as to find out about new workplace trends. This one is a gem: rescinding vaccine mandates! It’s nice to hear that employees have some recourse, at least in workplaces where, for example, they can work from home.

  2. Actually, the vaccines may prove to not be as helpful as initially believed and may even contribute to weaking the vaccinated individual’s immune system. Time will tell as media constraints are loosened and more Big
    Pharma lab info is released.
    https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/critics-outraged-by-fda-request-to-hide-pfizer-vaccine-data-for-55-years/ar-AAQUufd

    The people that I personally know who got COVID were fully vaccinated.
    The ones that died had serious prior health issues such as cancer, heart issues, or COPD.

    Everyone is exposed to various viruses and bacteria whether at work,
    home, or out and about. Eating healthy, exercise, and abstaining from
    harmful recreational products contribute to one’s ability to overcome many illnesses.

    1. Hello Larry,

      Diet and Exercise are definitely key to one’ s wellness. You are absolutely correct. I fear cancer, stroke, or heart attack, which has taken out most of those I lost. My Covid experience was like a bad cold. The vaccination allegedly made Covid easy, however, I do believe there are side effects related which might explain the hiding of data.

      Scott

  3. One point this person did not seem to understand is that these covid vaccines do not prevent transmission. Some researchers think it may reduce it to some degree, but those who are vaccinated can and do transmit covid. I have to side with the employer to a degree.

    1. I believe that I had COVID twice: once back literally before it was recognized (Jan 20) – it ‘blew up’ within weeks of that ailment, and; once after having both shots and within days (+/-) of my booster. And I’m still alive, and planning on getting the second booster today.
      Having said that, I’ve lost at least three relatives and a couple of friends who may or may not have had complications; and I’ve got at least three co-workers/friends who are suffering from the long-term effects, as much as two years from their affliction.
      And, having said that, I strongly believe that COVID is serious enough to grossly exacerbate or take advantage of any collateral aliments and; while the vaccination does not prevent getting COVID, I believe, from all empirical evidence, that being vaccinated does help; and, reciprocally, failing to take protective actions for yourself, you are both increasing your risk of far more serious consequences and problems, and also of becoming a ‘spreader’ just by the attitude non-vaxxers have.
      If you’re one of those staunch no-vaxxers, please keep your potential problems to yourself – don’t force your attitude and the results from it upon me. It’s not much different than stinking smoking (I was a smoker for almost 20 years – 40 years ago) – one inconsiderate person can foul the air for dozens.

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