Judge cuts bus driver's vaccine mandate lawsuit against Montebello

A judge has dismissed a Montebello bus driver's claim of religious discrimination after he was fired for refusing to get a COVID-19 vaccine. 

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michel L. Stern will only allow bus driver Fernando Ramirez to go to trial with his claim that the city was in violation of a memo of understanding with its mid-management employees because they did not give Ramirez a full hearing. 

According to the lawsuit, Ramirez was hired by Montebello as a part-time bus driver nearly two decades ago. He was later rose through the ranks, being promoted to full-time and eventually a supervisor. 

"With an iron boot the city destroyed Ramirez's 17-year career and the sanctity of his personal life," the suit states. 

Declared an essential worker in March 2020, Ramirez continued to work through the pandemic, according to the lawsuit. 

Over a year later, Montebello announced their initiative to implement a vaccine mandate for the city's employees. The plan was implemented by City Manager Rene Bobadilla, who was a defendant in the case, according to the suit. 

Ramirez and his lawyers state that the city outlined its process for claiming a religious exemption and its vaccine policy. In turn, The bus driver filed the appropriate written application as it went against his devout religious beliefs. 

"Ramirez said that he objected to the vaccines due to his sincere religious beliefs and specifically his interpretation of the bible," the suit states. "He also objected on the grounds that the vaccines were developed with the assistance of stems cells taken from aborted fetuses."

The driver and his attorneys claimed that in an interview with Human Resources Director Nicholas Razo, Ramirez was told that only 1% of requested religious objections to the vaccine mandate would be granted. 

"In short, the process was a pre-determined sham and regardless of the merits of his beliefs, Ramirez was never going to be granted an exemption because the decision was already made to deny nearly all exemption applications regardless of their merits," according to the lawsuit. 

Ramirez claims he was escorted out of his job in December 2021 and fired later that month. The suit claims he moved to Texas following his termination.