In the United States, federal government agencies have been told to remove all records related to employees’ COVID vaccination status, exemption requests, or any previous noncompliance with vaccine mandates.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) instructed agencies that vaccination status must no longer be used in employment decisions, including hiring, promotions, discipline, or termination.
OPM director Scott Kupor said, “Things got out of hand during the pandemic, and federal workers were fired, punished, or sidelined for simply making a personal medical decision.”
He credited President Donald Trump, adding, “Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, we’re making sure the excesses of that era do not have lingering effects on federal workers.”
The change follows a settlement in a case brought by Feds for Freedom, a group that challenged former US President Joe Biden’s COVID vaccine mandate for federal employees.
Marcus Thornton, president and co-founder of the group, described the settlement as “a long-overdue confirmation of what we have asserted all along: COVID mandates were unconstitutional, immoral, and un-American.”
While details of the settlement remain confidential, it includes reimbursement of some legal fees.
Centerist