Shreveport Court Ruling Blocks Vaccine Firings at Ochsner

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The controversy over the COVID-19 vaccines and how they could effect some folks professional futures continues to rage, and the latest development happened right here in a Shreveport courtroom.

A last minute legal ruling may have saved dozens of jobs

Just before Ochsner Health’s Friday (October 29th) deadline for 32,000 employees across Louisiana and parts of Mississippi to become fully vaccinated against COVID-19 lest they face disciplinary action or outright termination, a ruling in the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeal in Shreveport on Thursday (October 28th) has blocked the health system's ability to enforce the policy.  Even though an earlier lawsuit brought by a large group of employees at Ochsner’s Shreveport location was thrown out, the court of appeals has ordered State District Judge Craig Marcotte to conduct a hearing on the policy to determine if it is actually legal.

It all boils down to a company's rights vs. an employee's rights

The whole issue is balanced between the health care company's right to make policy it deems necessary to protect their patients and employees, and the employees right to choose which medical treatments and procedures are right for them.

This Shreveport decision could have national implications

If the hearing determines that such policies are illegal, it will most likely lead to the re-instatement of the original lawsuit brought by the Ochsner’s employees who want to refuse the vaccine and still keep their jobs.  According to the report from the Seattle Times, this ruling only effects Northwest Louisiana - but the implications from such a decision could send a message nationwide that requiring employees to get vaccinated as a condition of their employment might not be the best way to handle this situation.