Los Angeles City Council repealed the COVID-19 vaccination mandate for municipal employees by a 13-0 vote on Tuesday, allowing affected employees to reapply for their positions.
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By a vote of 13-0 on Tuesday, the Los Angeles City Council repealed the city’s ordinance mandating that municipal employees receive the COVID-19 vaccination.
The decision permits city employees who were let go or reapply for their employment because of the vaccine requirement. During the voting, two council members were not present.
Attorney Jennifer Kennedy stated that it was time to eliminate the city’s “cruel mandate” that had led to the termination of numerous city employees during the council meeting’s public remark period.
“You stripped careers and commands from your LAPD officers and your LAFD firefighters,” said Ms. Kennedy, who said she represents hundreds of city workers.
“You stole the livelihood of these dedicated public servants and you put your citizens in danger.”
Former LAPD sergeant Janine Bedard said at the council meeting that she was fired from the department after 24 years of service because she refused to get vaccinated.
“I was advised a new condition of employment was that I needed to be vaccinated,” Ms. Bedard said.
“I was shamed and told I was a public health risk and I could not complete my duties as a sergeant if I was not vaccinated. I’m here today to request that you finally rescind the vaccine mandate.”
The proposal, which asked the City Administrative Officer to report on “the feasibility, impacts, and timeline” of eliminating the vaccination requirement for current and prospective city employees, was introduced by Council President Paul Krekorian and Council Member Traci Park last October.
Six members of the Los Angeles Police Department sued the city in 2021, claiming that the COVID-19 vaccination mandate for employees went against their constitutional rights.
“The United States Supreme Court has explained that invasive medical testing, injections, and other bodily intrusions constitute a search within the meaning of the Fourth Amendment,“ the suit reads.
”The Constitution protects a person’s right to refuse unwanted medical care.”
Following a previous similar vote by the LA County Board of Supervisors to end vaccination requirements for select contractors, Los Angeles County ended its vaccine requirement for both new and current county employees in April of last year.
In May 2023, the Biden administration lifted the COVID-19 vaccination restrictions for federal workers and contractors, noting a notable decrease in hospitalizations and fatalities along with a 98 percent compliance rate among the federal workforce.
Last year, GreatGameIndia reported that a COVID-19 vaccine mandate asserting Biden’s authority, akin to a private corporation’s CEO, to enforce employee vaccination, was ruled unconstitutional by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans.
