Former Allegheny County employees protest COVID-19 vaccine-related terminations
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Former Allegheny County employees who were let go for not getting vaccinated against COVID-19 are still fighting for their jobs.
A group of former county employees protested in Downtown Pittsburgh outside of the county offices on Friday. They want the county to re-think its vaccine mandate and give them their jobs back.
Shane Chesher said the group decided to protest because the CDC guidelines are now the same for people who are vaccinated and unvaccinated. The agency recently recommended that after exposure to COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, quarantining is no longer necessary.
Chesher worked for the Allegheny County Parks Department for 11 years before he was fired on Dec. 1, 2021, when the policy was put into effect. He said the county denied his religious exemption.
The county spokesperson said Friday that "the county policy remains the same."
"The CDC has declared unvaccinated and vaccinated to be treated the same and it's less than a year, eight months, ago that we were fired for the same thing. ... They said my religious beliefs would cause them hardship and I just don't think it's fair and we are out here demanding our jobs back," said Chesher.
Carol Walsh said she was also fired that day after working in human resources for 23 years. She said her religious exemption was also denied.
A few employees said they don't want their jobs back; they just want their voices to be heard.
"I don't know why it was denied. They let me go Dec. 1 right before Christmas. It's just unfair. It's just unfair. I have my rights," Walsh said.
"I honestly feel like they should be given their jobs back or offered something to compensate. ... They were so important at one point and now they are nothin. They were just sent to the side," said Dana Wise, who was fired from a local school district over a mask mandate and went to the protest to show her support.
The county's vaccine policy was announced in September 2021. In that announcement, Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said, "the measure is being taken to promote the health and safety of the county workforce, and to ensure the continued protection of the public with whom the workforce interacts and communities they serve."
When the policy went into effect on Dec. 1, around 94% of county employees submitted their vaccination status.
"I don't think there's enough light on this subject and we're trying to shed light on this subject and put the ball back in their court," Chesher said.