As companies across the country including Facebook, Walmart, Google, Uber and Disney begin to mandate Covid-19 vaccinations as a condition of employment, workers who are fired for refusing to do so might not receive unemployment benefits, according to WUSA.
Vaccination rates are slowly increasing, but a Kaiser Family Foundation survey found there are still millions of Americans who would only get vaccinated against COVID-19 if it was required. Some companies, like Disney, Google and Walmart, have decided to lend a hand in pushing up vaccination rates by requiring certain employees to show proof of vaccination.
Some who refuse may be looking forward to the support of unemployment benefits while they look for a new job that doesn’t require vaccines. But, for many of them, that might not be an option. -WUSA
The reason? In most states, if a person is fired with cause for violating company policy – such as mandatory vaccinations – they are not entitled to unemployment benefits and payments.
“Even something as simple as a dress code that says you have to wear a tie, and that’s the company’s policy, and you say, ‘I don’t believe in wearing a tie, so I’m not going to do it.’ That’s insubordination,” says John T. Harrington, Principal at The Employment Law Group. “It’s misconduct, and it would likely disqualify you from receiving unemployment benefits.”
Harrington said there are only two exemptions to a vaccination requirement – medical or religious. In both cases, however, exemptions are determined on a case-by-case basis with employers. Just because one employee is granted a religious exemption, it doesn’t mean that will extend to anyone else.
“We have received numerous inquiries from clients and potential clients about how courts are likely to view these situations,” said Harrington. “we’ve been advising them that if you have one of these two valid reasons to believe that you should be exempt from a vaccination requirement, you should assert them. But otherwise, companies are entitled to require that employees be vaccinated.”
Just lie and risk getting caught?
If a company establishes a clear vaccination policy, including repercussions for breaking said policy, it’s no different than if they had broken any other company rule in the eyes of the law. The person filing for unemployment, of course, could choose not to be honest about their termination and hope that the company doesn’t rat them out to state unemployment agencies.
“In every claim for unemployment benefits, the employer has an opportunity to present the reasons for the separation. And an employer can choose not to respond,” according to attorney Diane Seltzer. “So if an employee is not truthful or not completely transparent when they apply for benefits, and the employer chooses not to contest it, the employee might get the benefits based on what they’re representing.”
In Washington, D.C., the Office of Unemployment Compensation lists being fired for “gross misconduct” as a reason someone would be disqualified from receiving benefits. Maryland state code also lists “gross misconduct” as a disqualifying factor.
“Gross Misconduct is actually defined, at least in part, as an act which deliberately or willfully violates an employer’s rule,” Seltzer explains. “You can be terminated if you violate a rule, especially if it’s intentional or deliberate.”
Willfully refusing a vaccination for COVID-19 after your employer mandates it would qualify as “gross misconduct,” Seltzer said. -WUSA
Let the lawsuits begin…
killing off your salve tax base isnt too dam smart
but if those who were fired or layed off due to not towing the EFIO line , start up their own private gigs , maybe they wont pay the slave taxes they once did
starve this fckin beast already
A new updated waiver form will make employers think twice. It states employer will assume liability for vaccine damge or deaths. If employer refuses to sign it note their name, date, & time he made the refusal. Someone needs to be liable.
So what if they assume liability for vaccine damage or death? If you take their poison the damage is done. If you die your relative gets the f-king money, while the true victim, the dead person, gets a hole in the ground.
We don’t need a f-king waiver. These mandates are a blatant violation of the supreme superior law of this f-king land as these so called employers are declaring authority over free nationals with zero due process of the law. They are rogue criminals, conspiring to murder or maim American nationals. We have the right to enforce our law and simply put a bullet right through their f-king head.
F-k all these side arguments. No medical procedure of any kind can be performed on an American national without that national’s informed un-coerced consent. That is the law and you f-king know it and I f-king know it. So shove these corporate waivers up your ass and get ready to fight unless you are just a goddamn coward.
“So what if they assume liability for vaccine damage or death? If you take their poison the damage is done.“
Yep Henry, I’ve been telling my friends that same exact thing these past couple of days. What’s the point of suing a company if you’re already dead? Are people really this stupid?
People these days will do anything to stop themselves from getting physical. People need to stand up and physically fight because the time for being civilized is waaaayyy over now. They’re only delaying the inevitable.
Lawyer John T. Harrington is a drooling moron. He equates not wanting to wear a tie to being forced to undergo an experimental medical procedure against your will. Utter rubbish!!! By his idiot logic, I could say I don’t like left handed people so everyone has to have their left hand cut off or be fired, it’s “company policy”. How people like this imbecile get anywhere is a mystery.