Eleven former Wisconsin nursing home workers could seek a total of $550,000 in damages from the county that allegedly fired them for refusing to submit to its COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
The former workers filed notice of claim with the state’s Rock County earlier this month, which starts proceedings that could result in legal action against the government entity, the Gazette Xtra reported. Stakeholders around the country have debated the implications and legality of vaccination mandates, creating divided opinions.
The claim stems from a local mandate that ordered employees at the county-run nursing home, Rock Haven, to receive the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine during scheduled clinics earlier this year.
The affected workers argue that the vaccine requirement violates federal law that gives people a right to decline emergency authorized vaccines. The employees said they were later laid off for refusing to submit to the mandate.
The 11 workers would each seek $50,000 in lost wages, benefits and reimbursement of legal fees if a lawsuit moved ahead, according to the notice.
The county mandate is “a deliberate and unlawful taking away of Rock Haven’s statutorily-guaranteed right to decide for themselves whether to accept or refuse administration of a COVID-19 vaccine,” plaintiff attorney Michael Anderson wrote in the claim.
A Rock County Board committee this week recommended that the county discontinue the vaccine mandate as a condition of employment and reinstate all workers who were laid off.
A full county vote on the mandate is expected to happen by the end of next week.
