Posted on 05/02/2021 2:11:47 PM PDT by george76
Houston woman let go from her job as a nurse after refusing to get COVID-19 vaccine..
FOX 26 Reporter Maria Salazar spoke with the woman who claimed she was also silenced and harassed.
A Houston-area woman says she was a nurse at Houston Methodist for about 10 years until this week.
"I knew that the date was looming over my head of me to get the vaccine and we were constantly being pressured and pressured," Michelle Fuentes told FOX 26.
On April 1, Houston Methodist announced it would require employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine by June 7. However, the hospital system asked employees who would not get the vaccine to submit documentation for consideration for a medical or religious exemption by May 3.
Fuentes says she made a final effort to voice her concern to save her job at Houston Methodist before turning in her two-weeks notice.
"I just needed a little bit more time and little bit more research to be done," Fuentes stated.
She adds she wants the clinical trials to be completed before she decides to get the vaccine or not. But stresses she is not against vaccines and gets the flu vaccine every year.
A spokesperson for the hospital system says 90% of employees are vaccinated now, and only two in management have resigned so far.
Fuentes says a supervisor encouraged her to file for a religious exemption.
"And I said, 'Well, I don't have a religious exemption. I'm not doing this for religious reasons,' and she said, 'I know, but we'll help you fill it out, and at least this will save your job,'" Fuentes claims. "So, because I don't have a religious reason and it's a personal reason, my beliefs and my feelings aren't as worthy as someone who has a religious reason?"
Fuentes says when she did not agree to stay quiet about the reason for her departure, she was not allowed to complete her final two weeks and escorted out of the hospital.
In response, Houston Methodist stated they do not advise those who decline the vaccine for personal reasons to file for a religious exemption. Adding:
"We have a process in place for the employees who want to request a religious/medical exemption--- like we have had for the flu shot for more than a decade. Not all exemptions are granted."
In the meantime, Fuentes says she was prepared to wear masks at work and show lab results of COVID-19 antibodies since she'd recovered from the disease.
She adds, she regularly worked in a surgical unit, but volunteered to work in the COVID-19 unit.
"I want to be known that I was a safe nurse when I worked at the height of the pandemic and volunteered to work and did work in the COVID unit. So, I was a safe nurse then, not vaccinated, and I was able to turn back around and work in my unit without being tested and without being vaccinated," Fuentes said.
Houston Methodist adds:
"Our employees have the choice to stay or leave—we are not forcing anyone to get a vaccine. But over everything, we must put patients first. It is our obligation as health care workers to do no harm to our patients, who are among the most vulnerable in our community."
Generally, employers are able to require employees to get vaccinated. Clayton Craighead, an employment attorney in Houston, says there are the two exemption that both deal with accomodations.
"One of them is an accomodation under the American with Disabilities Act and the second exception is an accomodation on a religious basis. In order to establish an entitlement under the ADA, the employee would have to provide some sort of documentation from a doctor explaining why he or she, could not or should not receive the vaccination due to some medical condition or disability," Craighead explained.
He adds the employer is going to be required to provide the accomodation unless the employer can demonstrate doing so would create an undue burden on the organization.
"For example in the health industry, it probably would be very difficult to allow employees to not be vaccinated," he noted.
The second accomodation requires employees to demonstrate they have sincerely held religious belief that prohibits them from getting the vaccine.
"An employer, in order to avoid providing that accommodation of religion, has to also demonstrate undue burden but the standard is actually lower for religious accomodation than it is under the American with Disabilities Act," Craighead added.
Being principled with the unprincipled is risky. You work for a corporation, get the user manual. Take business courses.
Go along to get along. Hypocrisy 101.
Vaxxed or not, the nursing staff there should call in sick until this woman is re-hired. Imagine the signal that would send nationally.
I’d sue if I were her. You cannot be forced to take an experimental vaccine.
Yup
all you pro-vaxxers
you are on the same side as the people who will fire those that dont take the experimental treatment
You are on the side that 86% of democrats are on
covidiots
Can you think of a better way to destroy The United States than by having everyone injected with a slow acting poison?
I can’t.
That’s why we really need to be careful.
The Chinese view us as competitors and enemies.
The Chinese gave us this virus.
The Chinese have infiltrated our schools, corporations and government agencies.
Are those infiltrators capable of poisoning us with a slow acting poison.
Everyone needs to decide for themselves.
I’m tired of Democrats saying, “because I told you to!”
and i bring up democrats because they are both the ultimate hypocrites on medical issues, as well as almost all others
and
they are normally where all forms of totalitarianism enjoy their foundations
now you’re with the libtard socialist medical totalitarians
She got fired alright.
“Fuentes says when she did not agree to stay quiet about the reason for her departure, she was not allowed to complete her final two weeks and escorted out of the hospital.”
I don't blame govt so much for this, as the insurance industry. Insurance has infiltrated the minds of nearly everyone. We are all our brothers' keepers now, and they are ours. Liability is more to be feared than hell fire. Heck, I just bought a small recliner and very little assembly required but the instructions had it in big bold letters that I'd better have two people get it out of the box and put it together...not because they don't want me to break a nail. And watch out for that hot coffee, it could burn! It all translates to, "our insurance company made us write this warning."
I work in a senior living community and our Corp HR is run by a flaming liberal and they now have two forms upon signing into work: 1 a short form for the Have been Vaccinated and 2 a long form for us Non-vaccers! And starting May 14th if you have NOT been vaccinated and travel out of the local community, you have to self quarantine for a week before coming back to work...Talk about discrimination and violation of HIPPA laws,
This is the part that doesn’t make sense to me.
COVID-19 antibodies since she’d recovered from the disease
If she had CoVID-19, and obviously recovered, why force her to get a vaccine?
🤦
Because - “Take the vaccine even if you’ve already had coronavirus, Fauci says”
gotcha...
I served in the US Navy from 1988-1992. I was discharged on a medical separation (RE-3P), due to having lost 23% of my lung function while serving, and Navy medicine has no idea why.
I’ve had so many tests by them and then the VA they still don’t know why basically 1/4 of my lungs literally are alive, but do nothing. I take the deepest breaths I can, running/walking on a treadmill, stationary bike, etc. - and that portion of my lungs just never take in air.
I’m pretty sure it happened due to whatever they gave us as shots over those years. I served INCONUS (or at sea, but not to another country), was diagnosed with Sickle Cell Trait in boot camp, had an infection (ANUG) after taking 2 of my wisdom teeth at my PDS, and somehow got Scarlatina (Scarlet Fever) also at my PDS (San Diego).
That’s a lot of weird stuff for a late teens/early 20’s kid in the US.
I don’t think I understand your point.
Texas is an “at will” work state. She could be fired for wearing white shoes instead of red or black shoes. She could be fired literally for any reason.
‘Time for a class action lawsuit..’
on what grounds...? she gave them two weeks notice...
The beauty of the human body is that we are all alike while all being different.
The decision makers have to keep that in mind.
if she gave them weeks notice that means she quit, she didn’t get fired...
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“She was escorted out of the hospital”......
“Fuentes says when she did not agree to stay quiet about the reason for her departure, she was not allowed to complete her final two weeks and escorted out of the hospital.”
they made no move to remove her until she gave notice; as long as they paid her for the two weeks, they were under no compulsion to keep her there, ifthey wanted her gone...
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