Officer Dies of Covid on Covid Leave
Is a non-vaccinated firefighter or paramedic sickened or dying of Covid-19 eligible for employer coverage?
Jack Nyce, 46 and with 17 years on the department, died last Saturday, about four days after testing positive for Covid.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports, “ [He] was placed on leave for missing the city of San Francisco’s deadline to be inoculated…”
Vaccine refusal continues despite the fact that available medications protect against serious illness, hospitalization and death.
Both cases and deaths are ticking up again.
The NYT reports, “vaccines authorized in the United States remain highly protective against the disease’s worst outcomes over time, with some exceptions among older people and those with weakened immune systems.”
Indeed, “vaccines remain more than 50 percent effective at preventing infection, the level that all Covid vaccines had to meet or exceed…” (NYT/WHO)
The reported number of International Association of Firefighters’ members dying of Covid has reached 70. Our Safety and Health section should be collecting data on deaths occurring with and without vaccine in order to assist with decision making.
An unvaccinated on-duty member sickened or dying of Covid would likely seek to have the expenses covered by the employer.
Are they eligible for job-related leave or line-of-duty death benefits?
Municipalities are likely to argue no.
They are also likely to argue that placing those refusing vaccination on leave is for their own protection to prevent on-duty exposure.
That fact places unions supporting those who want to work without being vaccinated at a professional, moral and ethical disadvantage.
Worse yet, it’s a position which will be ruthlessly exploited in the future by management who will say, “Don’t tell me how worried you are about health and safety — remember Covid-19?”
Going “all-in” to fight a Covid-19 vaccine mandate is the untutored acting on behalf of the foolish.
So much for union leadership.
