Over 1,800 state employees in Washington are out from their carriers over vaccine mandates refusal. They are either terminated or had quit their jobs for failing to comply with the vaccine requirement, The Hill news reported.
All public employees and healthcare workers in Washington State were required to receive full doses of the COVID-19 vaccine starting in August, according to Governor Jay Inslee’s announcement. Unless they were excused due to a medical or religious reason, they had until Monday to get their vaccinations.
Governor Jay Inslee Strictly Implemented the Vaccination Mandate on Federal Employees (Photo: Rachel La Corte / The Associated Press)
The Vaccination Statistics in Washington
According to the state’s Office of Financial Management, in a statement released Tuesday afternoon, more than 63,000 employees, or 92 percent of the state’s workforce, were in compliance with the mandate. 84 percent of them confirmed they had already received the vaccine. Meanwhile, the data showed 1,927 workers were given a job accommodation that allowed them to work in a different position with the exemption of being vaccinated.
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The records elaborated that among 1,887 employees who have lost their jobs, 1,696 were fired, 112 filed resignation, and 79 people retired. The remaining 4.6 percent of employees are either in the process of being vaccinated, about to retire, or awaiting an accommodation or separation from their employer.
Inslee’s Order Was More Restrictive Than Other States
In August, Inslee ordered that most state employees and healthcare workers be vaccinated by October 18 unless they have a medical or religious basis. Those without a legal exemption would be subjected to “nondisciplinary dismissal.” The order was more restrictive than those implemented by other governors, as there is no choice for employees in Washington state to be tested weekly instead of being vaccinated.
WSU recently fired its highest-paid football coach and four of his assistants for failing to comply with the mandate. Nick Rolovich, 42, was fired on Monday, becoming the first major college coach to be fired because of his vaccination status.
In a statement of Mike Faulk, Inslee’s press secretary to The Hill, it was a piece of good news knowing that the employees’ statistics in vaccination rate was high. Although it was sad knowing that 3 percent among them has to go. Nevertheless, some workers will be able to return if they are fully vaccinated in the next month, he added.
Related Article: Washington State Terminates Highest-Paid Football Coach, Four Assistants Over Vaccine Mandates Refusal
