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Dozens of employees are suing the Henry Ford Health System (HFHS) for its policy of forcing COVID-19 to be vaccinated, among others, for all staff members.
More than 50 HFHS employees (a mix of registered nurses, doctors, pharmacy technicians and other staff members) have filed a lawsuit against the health care system, alleging that its new policy to enforce COVID vaccines between the staff is unconstitutional.
The health system, which employs more than 30,000 people, announced in June that all staff members, students, volunteers and contractors should receive the COVID-19 vaccine by September 10, 2021, the first Michigan health system that issued this mandate. . HFHS already requires employees to receive vaccines for other diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella and whooping cough.
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According to the lawsuit, employees who are not fully vaccinated before Sept. 10 under the new policy would be initially suspended and “given until Oct. 1, 2021, to remedy their noncompliance.”
The 51 HFHS employees filed a lawsuit against the health care system Monday – four days before the policy deadline – in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern Michigan District. Citing the unverified adverse effects of COVID-19 vaccines, the plaintiffs allege that the health care system endangers them by forcing employees to be vaccinated against the virus, allegedly violating their “rights to personal autonomy and bodily integrity. “and his” right to refuse medical treatment. “
In June, the healthcare system reported that about 68% of its employees have already been vaccinated against COVID-19. This figure rose to 70% in July.
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The lawsuit filed Monday argues that HFHS does not have the legal authority to “forcibly inject drugs into the body of a person who is not consenting.” However, the health system does not forcibly inject COVID vaccines into staff members, but enforces vaccination as a work requirement, which could apparently result in termination if staff do not comply.
Plaintiffs also cite several statistics from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) that claim that the COVID vaccine had caused thousands of injuries and deaths. However, the reports submitted to the system have not been verified and cannot be claimed as facts, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which sponsors the reporting system.
“While very important in monitoring vaccine safety, VAERS reports alone cannot be used to determine whether a vaccine caused or contributed to an adverse event or disease,” says a federal government legal notice. . “Reports may contain incomplete, inaccurate, accidental or unverifiable information. In large part, reports to VAERS are voluntary, meaning they are subject to bias. This creates specific limitations on how the data can be used scientifically.”
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Experts and health authorities across the country have stated that coronavirus vaccines, particularly mRNA vaccines, are safe. Pfizer’s COVID-19 mRNA vaccine, now called Comirnaty, received full FDA approval in August. Amid its approval, the Food and Drug Administration cited months of real evidence that serious side effects from vaccines are extremely rare.
More than 66% of Michigan residents over the age of 16 have received at least one dose of COVID vaccine. More than 375 million doses of COVID vaccine have been administered in the United States and more than 5.5 billion doses have been administered worldwide.
See more COVID data from Michigan here.
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In July, amid some protests over the vaccine mandate, HFHS CEO Bob Riney said the organization is committed to working with staff members who are concerned about vaccines amid the new policy.
“We have received broad support from our patients, team members and the community for our decision to require the COVID-19 vaccine for team members. At the same time, we recognize that uncertainty remains for some and we respect the rights of members of our Henry Ford family, as well as those of our wider communities, to voice their concerns Data and science continue to strengthen the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, including mitigation of new emerging threats such as the Delta variant.As such, we know more than ever that vaccination is the absolute best way to end this pandemic and we are confident in our decision.We are deeply committed to working with all members of the team that have doubts or questions ”.
Bob Riney, president of health operations and chief operating officer of the health system Henry Ford
Other Michigan health systems, such as Beaumont Health, Ascension and Trinity Health, require COVID vaccines for employees. Experts say companies have the authority to demand vaccines from their staff members.
In December, the Employment Commission for Equal Opportunities determined that it is legal to require vaccination of employees, as long as there are exceptions for medical and religious reasons (which is included in the new HFHS policy).
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There is also a legal precedent for states to require people to be vaccinated. In 1905, Cambridge, Massachusetts, fined people who refused to receive smallpox. A pastor sued, but the courts said a community had a right to protect itself.
COVID-19 has been growing throughout Michigan and the United States in recent months, being driven by the highly contagious delta variant after the country experienced a slowdown in the spread of the virus earlier this summer.
Month: COVID-19 rise in the United States: the summer of hope ends in the twilight
Below you can read the entire lawsuit against HFHS.
Month: Michigan COVID News
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