The Department of Veterans Affairs has become the first federal agency to require its frontline health workers to get vaccinated against Covid last year or they’ll lose their jobs.
Last week, a Southern District Court in Texas just protected medical freedom and ruled against the mandated COVID shot for federal workers. Judge Jeffrey Vincent Brown upheld a suit from federal workers who are refusing to be vaccinated against the COVID virus.
“The motion is granted as to Executive Order 14043. All the defendants, except the President, are thus enjoined from implementing or enforcing Executive Order 14043 until this case is resolved on the merits,” Judge Brown said.
On Monday, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough sent out an email stating that the nationwide injunction on the President’s executive order 14043 “does not affect his order requiring all Veterans Health Administration (VHA) health care personnel to be vaccinated.”
According to the email obtained by TGP, VA will continue to enforce the vaccine requirement for their employees, such as psychologists, pharmacists, social workers, nursing assistants, physical therapists, respiratory therapists, peer specialists, medical support assistants, engineers, housekeepers, and other clinical, administrative and infrastructure support employees. This requirement also includes VA volunteers in similar roles.
Here is the email sent out from the US Department of Veterans Affairs:
Colleagues,
Many of you have seen that on Friday, a court issued a nationwide injunction on the President’s executive order 14043, requiring that all Federal employees get the COVID-19 vaccine. While this injunction does pause the President’s executive order, it does not affect my order requiring all Veterans Health Administration (VHA) health care personnel to be vaccinated.
So, what does this mean for you?
- Impact on the vaccine requirement for VHA health care personnel: The injunction does notimpact the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) authority to require VA health care personnel to be vaccinated. We will, therefore, continue to enforce the vaccine requirement for those employees—such as psychologists, pharmacists, social workers, nursing assistants, physical therapists, respiratory therapists, peer specialists, medical support assistants, engineers, housekeepers and other clinical, administrative and infrastructure support employees. This requirement also includes VA volunteers in similar roles. Effectively, this means that any VHA employee or volunteer who works in VHA facilities, visits VHA facilities, or provides direct care to those we serve is still required to be fully vaccinated or have an approved exception and comply with workplace safety protocols. Exceptions related to a medical condition or a religious belief will be processed as a request for reasonable accommodation to the vaccination requirement.
- Impact on the vaccine requirement for non-VHA health care personnel: For VA employees who are not VHA health care personnel, VA will pause on implementing and enforcing Executive Order 14043. This means that we will hold on processing vaccine exception requests, implementing discipline for noncompliance with the vaccine requirement and requiring job applicants for roles other than VHA health care positions to be fully vaccinated.
- Impact on other safety protocols: This injunction has no impact on other safety protocols, meaning that masking, physical distancing, testing, travel and quarantine requirements are still in effect.
As I have said throughout the pandemic, ensuring the health and safety of our workforce and the Veterans we serve is my highest priority. The best way to protect you, your families, your colleagues and Veterans from all variants of COVID-19—including Omicron—is to get the vaccine and any recommended additional doses and booster shots, which provide strong protection against infection, hospitalization and death. As always, you can get the vaccine or the booster free of charge at any of our facilities at any time. And if you have any outstanding questions about the vaccine, you can find more information about its safety and effectiveness in these FAQs, or view these clinician and Veteran videos.
Finally, I want to acknowledge how difficult this pandemic—now having lasted more than 22 months—has been for you, our world-class workforce, and your families. We have lost thousands of Veterans, hundreds of colleagues and untold numbers of loved ones to this terrible disease. And yet, even in the worst of circumstances, you have never wavered. You have saved and bettered the lives of countless Veterans. You have been the backbone of America’s health care system. And you have led the way on vaccinations, charting a course for the entire country to follow.
Simply put, the country would not have made the progress it has made without you and your hard work. I am—and the country is—forever in your debt.
We will keep you updated on the vaccine requirements and the injunction moving forward. Thank you for all you do.
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