The Massachusetts Department of Transportation provided to rehire some workers who have been terminated for failing to adjust to the state’s vaccine mandate, and Gov. Charlie Baker’s workplace indicated different state businesses made related provides.
MassDOT Chief Human Resources Officer Matthew Knosp despatched a letter final week to a former worker providing reinstatement to their former place, with the identical “duties and responsibilities and reporting relationships.”
The letter notes that the provide of reinstatement, if accepted, is “effective immediately and is unconditional,” and in addition signifies the previous worker who acquired the provide had utilized for a spiritual exemption previous to their termination.
A spokesperson for the governor’s workplace, Anisha Chakrabarti, stated an unspecified variety of workers who weren’t beforehand accommodated below the vaccine requirement, which permits for sure medical and spiritual exemptions, have been provided their jobs again.
“The administration has recently been able to accommodate a small number of positions who previously were not accommodated under the vaccine requirement,” Chakrabarti stated. “These employees have been offered back their positions, and the administration does not anticipate more letters going out for additional positions.”
Chakrabarti stated the administration has no plans to raise the vaccine mandate for state staff, which was applied in August 2021. The “vast majority” of workers have complied with that requirement, she added.
A MassDOT spokesperson deferred remark to the governor’s workplace.
According to a state type dated Dec. 23, 2021, 131 of the 132 workers who utilized for a spiritual exemption from MassDOT have been denied their request. And 11 of the 49 workers who utilized for a medical exemption have been denied as effectively.
Numbers have been a lot increased on the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, the place 815 of the 868 workers who utilized for a spiritual exemption, and 40 of the 68 who utilized for a medical exemption, have been denied, the shape acknowledged.
Chris Keohan, spokesperson for the State Police Association of Massachusetts, stated the union discovered in regards to the MassDOT letter Monday evening, however has not been made conscious of any provides to return to work amongst its membership.
He stated a number of dozen state troopers have been terminated for not complying with the mandate. In some circumstances, those that certified for spiritual or medical exemptions have been advised that no lodging have been in place for them to proceed working.
“President Biden has publicly declared the pandemic over and we are no longer in a state of emergency due to COVID-19,” stated the union’s President Patrick McNamara, who known as for the vaccine mandate to be instantly rescinded.
“All employees should be able to return to work without delay regardless of prior exemption status. The State Police continues to be at critically low staffing levels. The return to work for all troopers, who are currently out of work because of the governor’s policies, is long overdue,” he added.
In the MassDOT letter, Knosp stated unvaccinated workers, in the event that they select to return to work, shall be required to put on a masks.
Reinstatement additionally doesn’t require them to “dismiss or release any claims, lawsuits, charges, or proceedings” they might have introduced towards MassDOT, the letter states.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”