A group of 51 employees of a Detroit health care organization filed a lawsuit on Sept. 6 challenging their employer’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
The lawsuit argues that the Henry Ford Health System (HFHS) violated the plaintiffs’ right to bodily autonomy and their right to reject medical treatment under interpretations of the 14th Amendment. The lawsuit seeks a court order declaring the mandate unconstitutional and unenforceable.
Representatives for HFHS didn’t respond to a request for comment by press time.
The HFHS had announced a vaccine mandate on June 29, advising staff and contractors to be vaccinated by Sept. 10. HFHS management warned that those who weren’t vaccinated by the deadline would face suspension and be given until Oct. 1 to receive the vaccine.
The lawsuit (pdf) cites data from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) to allege, contrary to the description provided on the VAERS website, that “13,627 deaths have occurred in the U.S. as a result of COVID-19 ‘vaccines.’”
The lawsuit goes on to cite an anonymous person, who identifies as a computer programmer, providing a “professional estimate” that VAERS data is underreported by a factor of five. The lawsuit uses the anonymous affidavit to allege that “65,000 Americans have lost their lives to these ‘vaccines.’”
“The Mandate requires that Plaintiffs choose between exposing themselves to potential harm or death or abandon their careers in health care,” the lawsuit reads.
A disclaimer on the VAERS website states: “VAERS accepts reports of adverse events and reactions that occur following vaccination. … While very important in monitoring vaccine safety, VAERS reports alone cannot be used to determine if a vaccine caused or contributed to an adverse event or illness.
