It seems a bit weird to think now that just two years back we were all basically cooped up in our homes because of a global pandemic. COVID-19 brought everyone’s lives to a standstill and it was only when effective vaccines finally came in, that a semblance of normality returned.
The NBA also wanted all individuals associated with the league to get the vaccine, but not everyone was keen on getting the shot. We all know about Kyrie Irving’s stance on the matter at this point as he remains unvaccinated and while it didn’t allow him to play home games last season because of the rules in New York City, Kyrie still got to keep his job.
Former NBA Referees Sued The League After They Were Fired For Not Taking The Vaccine
That wasn’t the case for everyone though, as some referees were fired for not taking the vaccine as per reports. Three of them have now made the decision to sue the league, as an exemption on religious grounds wasn’t granted to them.
via Reuters:
In a complaint filed on Saturday in Manhattan federal court, Kenny Mauer, Mark Ayotte and Jason Phillips said the league improperly forced compliance with its “hygienic norms,” and wrongly concluded that their sincere religious objections fell short of its “high standard” against being vaccinated.
The plaintiffs said the NBA’s “jab or job ultimatum” led to their suspensions for the 2021-2022 season, when the league required COVID vaccinations for all employees other than players.
They said the league refused to reinstate them despite lifting the vaccine requirement for the 2022-2023 season, consistent with the ban on vaccine mandates under its new seven-year collective bargaining agreement with referees.
“Had the NBA not taken upon itself to force faith-based conscientious objectors to adhere to secular norms, none of plaintiffs’ complained-of injuries would have manifested,” the complaint said. “In sum: Plaintiffs were persecuted.”
Considering the mandate was lifted for the players, it does seem unfair that the referees lost their job because they didn’t want to get the shot. You shouldn’t really have different rules for different groups and it remains to be seen how this situation unfolds.
Kenny Mauer, Mark Ayotte, and Jason Phillips had been associated with the NBA for a long time, with Mauer having been a referee for 35 years. It is really unfortunate that things came to an end in this fashion.
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