1,887 WA workers fired, leave jobs due to vaccine mandate

covidvaccine

According to data released this week, more than 1,800 Washington state workers have been fired, resigned or retired due to the state’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate.

The latest numbers released by the governor’s Office of Financial Management show that about 3% of the state’s approximately 63,000-person workforce that was covered by the mandate have left their jobs, and the cases of another 4.6% — or 2,887 — are pending because they are either in the process of receiving a job accommodation, are planning to retire, are getting vaccinated or are awaiting separation from their agency.

Of the 1,887 who are no longer employed, 1,696 were fired, 112 resigned and 79 retired.

Of those who remain employed, the state said that 95% were vaccinated, not including the 1,927 who got either a medical or religious exemption and an accommodation to stay on the job.

Monday was the deadline for thousands of workers in Washington to prove they’ve been fully vaccinated as a condition of their continued employment. The mandate — issued by Gov. Jay Inslee in August — applies to most state workers, long-term care employees, and teachers and staff at the state’s schools, including the state’s colleges and universities. The only opt-out was a medical or religious exemption, though the exemption only ensured continued employment if a job accommodation could be made. (AP)

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