An appeals court Wednesday said a firefighters union can pursue an unfair labor practice charge against the Orange County Commission over a COVID-19 vaccination requirement issued in 2021.
A panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal overturned a decision by the state Public Employees Relations Commission that dismissed the case.
In July 2021, the county began requiring employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and gave employees about two months to comply, according to Wednesday’s ruling.
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The Orange County Fire Fighters Association filed an unfair labor practice charge, contending that the vaccination requirement needed to be a subject of bargaining and that the county violated state law by moving forward with it unilaterally.
While the case was pending at the Public Employees Relations Commission, a state law took effect in November 2021 that barred COVID-19 vaccination requirements for government employees. The county argued that the case had become moot.