Court allows New York authorities to fire teachers for refusing to vaccinate against COVID-19

A Manhattan judge overturned a temporary court order that prevented the city from coercing all Department of Education employees to vaccinate against COVID-19, reports New York Post. Now all teachers and school staff who refuse to vaccinate will be fired.

Judge Lawrence Love rejected the arguments of the coalition of trade union groups that this requirement violated the civil rights of teachers, and thus overturned temporary ban on the application of this requirementpublished last week.

Although Love will make the final decision on the legality of requiring teachers to be vaccinated later, he is likely to side with the mayor's office.

The city has called September 27 a vaccination deadline for all 130 Department of Education employees (including 000 teachers) who must receive at least one dose of COVID-78 vaccine by that day or they will be fired.

Love's ruling, issued on September 23rd, gives the city the opportunity to enforce its mandate from September 27th.

“This is a big win for New York's kids and Department of Education staff,” said agency spokeswoman Danielle Filson. - Their health and safety is at the heart of this vaccination requirement. And we are glad that the court recognized the city's powers to enforce this rule as legal. "

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This week, the New York City Department of Education said 87% of teachers have already received at least one COVID-19 shot. At the same time, about 10 teachers were not vaccinated. They only have a few days to do this, otherwise they will face layoffs.

It is theoretically possible for teachers to obtain exemptions for religious or medical reasons. But sources said that such exemptions are available to a limited number of people and are extremely difficult to obtain.

Individuals who did not receive an exemption and were not vaccinated by September 27 will either have to take a year's unpaid leave or retire with severance pay.

Mayor Bill de Blasio stressed on September 22 that the city's schools will not face a shortage of staff, although a significant number of teachers have not been vaccinated.

Schools Chancellor Meisha Ross-Porter said the Department of Education has a large spare vaccinated workforce. And they are ready to fill the gaps in the event of a shortage of personnel.