|
 U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes upheld Houston Methodist Hospital's
policy mandating employees be vaccinated, in a ruling issued on
Saturday.
Jennifer Bridges, a nurse and the lead plaintiff in the case, had
argued that if she was fired for refusing a vaccine, it should be
considered wrongful termination. She also said the vaccines are
experimental and dangerous.
The judge did not find merit in either argument.
"Methodist is trying to do their business of saving lives without
giving them the COVID-19 virus," Hughes wrote in a five-page
decision. "It is a choice made to keep staff, patients and their
families safer.
"Bridges can freely choose to accept or refuse a Covid-19 vaccine;
however, if she refuses, she will simply need to work somewhere
else."
The judge said Texas law only protected employees from being fired
for refusing to commit an illegal act and that the requirement is
consistent with public policy.
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 Three vaccines received
emergency authorization in the United States,
though they have not received full approval by
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission also said last
month that U.S. companies can mandate that employees be vaccinated
against COVID-19 with certain exceptions.
A lawyer for the workers who sued plans to appeal. "This legal
battle has only just begun," the lawyer, Jared Woodfill, said in an
email. "Employment should not be conditioned upon whether you will
agree to serve as a human guinea pig."
In a statement, Houston Methodist called the lawsuit frivolous and
said it was pleased with the judge's decision. It noted that 24,947
hospital employees have met the vaccine requirements.
(Reporting by Karen Freifeld in New York; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
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