Discrimination case against Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue now is in federal Ninth Circuit appeals court

The appeal case of the “Firefighter 8” from Snohomish Fire and Rescue is currently in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, where oral arguments will be presented. The eight firefighters are suing for back pay after being placed on unpaid leave for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, a decision they argue was discriminatory. Their appeal challenges a summary judgment issued by U. S. District Court Judge Thomas Zilly, which favored the fire service's claims of operational hardship.

The firefighters’ legal team highlights inconsistencies in how SRFR handled unvaccinated personnel, as they accepted mutual aid from other departments that employed unvaccinated staff. They reference the Supreme Court ruling Groff v. DeJoy, which establishes thresholds for denying religious accommodation requests in the workplace. The firefighters seek compensation for significant financial losses, which could total between $100,000 to $200,000 each due to their unpaid leave. A successful appeal could set a decisive legal precedent for religious accommodations in similar cases.

This situation not only affects those involved but could also influence broader workplace policies regarding vaccination mandates and religious rights.