Fighting The Mandate

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I would but I only fight battles worth winning. Quite simply, almost 100 years of legal precedents mean you're basically pissing into the wind by not receiving the COVID vaccine when the POTUS signed the Executive Order mandating federal employees and contractors receive the COVID vaccine.

At best, you are only entitled to accommodation or exclusion if you 1) have a “sincerely held religious belief” (see Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964), 2) notify the FAA you have a preexisting disability that prevents you from safely receiving a COVID vaccination (see Rehabilitation Act of 1973), or 3) you have a medical condition that may worsen upon taking the COVID vaccine (see Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990). And since you would have had to declare any preexisting disabilities or medical conditions (#2 and #3 above) to the FAA as a condition of employment when you were hired, you're really only left with an accommodation under #1 above. Should you attempt to claim via preexisting disability or medical condition, and you did not previously advise the FAA, you set yourself up for termination for lying to the Flight Surgeon when you submitted your medical paperwork.

While the COVID vaccine mandate applies to federal employees and contractors, the DOT/FAA may grant reasonable accommodation requests to those with valid medical or religious reasons. However, an accommodation is normally only granted if it does not cause an undue hardship on the employer - not employee. Undue hardship means requiring significant difficulty or expense on the part of the employer. Furthermore, an accommodation to an unvaccinated employee must not pose a “direct threat.” An employee creates a direct threat if, even with an accommodation, they create "a significant risk of substantial harm to the health or safety of the employee or others that cannot be eliminated or reduced by reasonable accommodation." A requirement to work side-by-side and in close proximity to co-workers - especially when training - creates that "significant risk of substantial harm to...others that cannot be eliminated or reduced by reasonable accommodation."

One final nail in the coffin is that it appears NATCA has chosen not to fight the Executive Order as a change in working conditions... and they are unlikely to do so. Since unions represent members, as opposed to defend members, the law (and legal precedents) means you're out of luck on any failure to represent claim against the union.

It is my personal belief that few reasonble accommodation requests will be granted. And if you served in the military and received vaccinations as a requirement to service, you're definitely going to be denied a reasonable accommodation no matter how sincere your religious beliefs. And if you did not serve in the military, but received flu vaccinations at any time, you're probably going to be denied a reasonable accommodation no matter how sincere your religious beliefs. So, if you want to remain an air traffic controller, you can either get vaccinated or get punished/terminated.
 
How come your group doesn't have a cool name like forsaken? Maybe call yourself the lost boiz (and girlz) or something and you'll get more support

I only read the first paragraph but I completely agree with everything that last guy said, unless he got racist or something by paragraphs 2-23, in which case only partially
 
I would but I only fight battles worth winning. Quite simply, almost 100 years of legal precedents mean you're basically pissing into the wind by not receiving the COVID vaccine when the POTUS signed the Executive Order mandating federal employees and contractors receive the COVID vaccine.

At best, you are only entitled to accommodation or exclusion if you 1) have a “sincerely held religious belief” (see Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964), 2) notify the FAA you have a preexisting disability that prevents you from safely receiving a COVID vaccination (see Rehabilitation Act of 1973), or 3) you have a medical condition that may worsen upon taking the COVID vaccine (see Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990). And since you would have had to declare any preexisting disabilities or medical conditions (#2 and #3 above) to the FAA as a condition of employment when you were hired, you're really only left with an accommodation under #1 above. Should you attempt to claim via preexisting disability or medical condition, and you did not previously advise the FAA, you set yourself up for termination for lying to the Flight Surgeon when you submitted your medical paperwork.

While the COVID vaccine mandate applies to federal employees and contractors, the DOT/FAA may grant reasonable accommodation requests to those with valid medical or religious reasons. However, an accommodation is normally only granted if it does not cause an undue hardship on the employer - not employee. Undue hardship means requiring significant difficulty or expense on the part of the employer. Furthermore, an accommodation to an unvaccinated employee must not pose a “direct threat.” An employee creates a direct threat if, even with an accommodation, they create "a significant risk of substantial harm to the health or safety of the employee or others that cannot be eliminated or reduced by reasonable accommodation." A requirement to work side-by-side and in close proximity to co-workers - especially when training - creates that "significant risk of substantial harm to...others that cannot be eliminated or reduced by reasonable accommodation."

One final nail in the coffin is that it appears NATCA has chosen not to fight the Executive Order as a change in working conditions... and they are unlikely to do so. Since unions represent members, as opposed to defend members, the law (and legal precedents) means you're out of luck on any failure to represent claim against the union.

It is my personal belief that few reasonble accommodation requests will be granted. And if you served in the military and received vaccinations as a requirement to service, you're definitely going to be denied a reasonable accommodation no matter how sincere your religious beliefs. And if you did not serve in the military, but received flu vaccinations at any time, you're probably going to be denied a reasonable accommodation no matter how sincere your religious beliefs. So, if you want to remain an air traffic controller, you can either get vaccinated or get punished/terminated.
You make some good points but what if people change their minds? What if I got vaxxed when in the military, but never got a single shot since? Was it possible my views changed? What if I want to pick and choose what I believe in?

My facility has been on a normal schedule for over a year while the rest of the district was.on the 5/10. This was with no vax. That sounds like they made a reasonable accommodation with no undue hardship to the employer.
 
The fact that most people replying to this thread are so pro-vaccine that they blow right past the idea that the government is forcing on you something that is not only unproven and experimental, but also ineffective! Remember when they dangled the carrot about not wearing masks, then 2 weeks later put them right back on the vaccinated? Why would they do that? If the "vaccines" work, then why don't they work? And if you are vaccinated, then why do you care so much if I am?

Vaccinated or not, I encourage all of you to be engaged in the political happenings around you. Both local and federal. The POTUS should NOT be able to tell you what to do with your body. Period.
 
The fact that most people replying to this thread are so pro-vaccine that they blow right past the idea that the government is forcing on you something that is not only unproven and experimental, but also ineffective! Remember when they dangled the carrot about not wearing masks, then 2 weeks later put them right back on the vaccinated? Why would they do that? If the "vaccines" work, then why don't they work? And if you are vaccinated, then why do you care so much if I am?

Vaccinated or not, I encourage all of you to be engaged in the political happenings around you. Both local and federal. The POTUS should NOT be able to tell you what to do with your body. Period.
Uh oh they are going back to it being experimental
 
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You have a good idea. Most people replying here won’t change their minds about it, there’s no need to reply to them at all either; we have tried and honestly we are tired of hearing “get vaccinated, you’ll lose your job” even if people were and were not vaccinated. People are starting to not give a fuck because you can still get and spread COVID “but I won’t die” yeah neither did thousands of people who got COVID and didn’t have the vaccine.

They won’t change their lifestyle by exercising or eating better. You won’t change their minds, don’t waste your time replying or arguing with these guys. Let them be, but I also hope those unvaccinated or vaccinated who against the vaccine MANDATE get left alone.
 
Can we keep this tomfoolery to the shoot the breeze thread, this one should be strictly for amassing the thousands of controllers for the official fighting the mandate Facebook group that are going to storm the capitol
 
That's actually codified labor law not an EO.
And codified law empowers the president to make decisions about federal employees. Just because it comes in the form of an EO doesn’t make it any less impactful.
 
And codified law empowers the president to make decisions about federal employees. Just because it comes in the form of an EO doesn’t make it any less impactful.
Incorrect, An EO is only for the Executive branch not the people.
Federal employees are not part of the Executive Branch.
Why do you think congress and federal judges are exempt? They're federal employees too. Because they're not part of the executive branch.
They are the legislative and judicial branches. Crazy how a constitutional republic is supposed to really work uh?
 
Incorrect, An EO is only for the Executive branch not the people.
Federal employees are not part of the Executive Branch.
Why do you think congress and federal judges are exempt? They're federal employees too. Because they're not part of the executive branch.
They are the legislative and judicial branches. Crazy how a constitutional republic is supposed to really work uh?
Oh but you work for the executive branch. So get the shot
 
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