Decision in case of college football coach terminated over Covid-19 vaccine
A decision has been reached after former college football coach Nick Rolovich tried to file a lawsuit against Washington State athletic director Pat Chun and state governor Jay Inslee after Rolovich was terminated by the school when he declined to take the mandated Covid-19 vaccination.
Inslee and Chun responded to Rolovich's lawsuit by filing motions to have the suits dismissed, and now a federal judge in Spokane (Wash.) has agreed, ruling that Rolovich is not allowed to sue either party, according to KXLY.
"Even if Chun personally disagreed with Plaintiff's reasons for not getting vaccinated and urged Plaintiff to comply with the Proclamation, his actions do not rise to a constitutional violation," Judge Tom Rice said in his decision.
Rice added, "This Court and many others around the country have consistently found Covid-19 vaccine mandates for state employees are facially neutral and generally applicable, and terminating an employee for failing to comply with a vaccine mandate is a permissible employment action."
As a result of the decision, Gov. Inslee and Chun have been removed as defendants from Rolovich's lawsuit, but the former coach's case against the Washington State itself remains pending.
Washington State fired Rolovich and four of his assistants in October 2021 after they declined to comply with the vaccine mandate in place for state employees.
Rolovich had asked the state for a religious exemption, but he was denied and Judge Rice said the coach could not prove he was fired over his religious convictions but for not complying with the governor's mandate.
(KXLY)
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