Three Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) employees have come forward to say they will not take the COVID-19 shot, and, subsequently, their employer has forced them into unpaid leave.
The ORNL employees have taken the matter to federal court.
Jordan Lefebvre, Ron Lefebvre, and Stephanie Bruffey discussed the matter in a video this week with Tennessee Stands founder Gary Humble.
ORNL officials initially said they would offer medical and religious exemptions to their employees, said Jordan Lefebvre.
“We had a deadline to submit our medical and religious exemptions on September 15. On the morning of September 16, Dr. Thomas Zacharia, the lab director at ORNL, said there were too many religious exemptions,” Jordan Lefebvre said.
“He [Zacharia] said religious exemptions needed to be prepared to be on unpaid leave through the end of the pandemic. That was the first we heard of that accommodation, and it was a little startling.”
Humble said he imagined the Tennessee General Assembly would have protected the federal employees — but, ultimately, they did not.
Bruffey said she realized she was going through “an adversarial process” and that her employer would not respect her sincerely held religious beliefs. She said she realized she could lose her job. And she said she panicked and contacted Governor Bill Lee and state legislators.
“We quickly found out there was no help to be found in that corner. We were receiving form emails back that clearly missed the point of our question, which was not about the vaccine mandate, but about how can you help us with preserving our religious liberties and our right to work under this religious exemption process,” Bruffey said.
“The emails we did get back said ‘We wish we could help and we support everyone’s right to choose, but we think everyone should take the vaccine if you are able to. Good luck.’”
Ron Lefebvre, meanwhile, said this experience has cost him sleepless nights and about 10 percent of his body mass.
“You aren’t eating. You are getting the group organized and hearing everyone’s story, day in and day out, late into the night. There are people who are scared. They don’t know who to go to, what to do, or where to go. The pressure exerted on these individuals is tremendous, and you are in it yourself,” Ron Lefebvre said.
“It’s difficult to have spent your entire professional career at an institute and have developed a level of trust. You feel a part of the company. You feel you are doing your bit and then suddenly to be ostracized and have no say effectively. It turns your world upside down. It is very frustrating, personally overwhelming, and disappointing in how this didn’t have to be this way.”
Humble, in an email to Tennessee Stands’ supporters, cited an online fundraiser to assist ORNL employees denied medical or religious exemptions and who need legal assistance.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Gov. Bill Lee” by Gov. Bill Lee.
We need a Make Tennessee Great Again governor
I have no respect for this governor.
Tennessee is one of the reddest states in the US but we still can’t seem to elect a Governor that is truly conservative and in possession of even an infinitesimal amount of testicular fortitude. Bill Lee showed his cowardice and leftist leanings early on in this COVID control experiment. The electorate needs to show him the door and make it clear we are tired of Mitt Romney clones occupying what should be the office of a fighter.
Unfortunately, this is no surprise. Lee has proven himself to be a lukewarm RINO at best. It seems his only real concerns are kowtowing to the public education lobby, to big business interests and to anyone wanting to dump illegals and other foreigners into Tennessee – at great cost to Tennessee culture and finances. The legislature had a golden opportunity to right many wrongs surrounding the COVID fearmongering but chose to cower under the fake leadership of Sexton and McNally and passed worthless legislation. The whole state government crowd is disgusting.
Mr. Lefebvre is right. It is overwhelming, and there is nowhere to turn. Everybody is scared to speak up, and the “compliant” part of society is trying to starve us out. The only way out of this is for us to not comply, but we are loosing our jobs , and in some places, our access to food and medical treatment- yes it has already come to that. The supposed numbers of people who have had COVID shots is likely a lie to scare the rest of us into submission. Now Fauci says you shouldn’t be considered “fully vaccinated” until you have 3 shots. There will be no end to this. We absolutely have to refuse to give in.
Yep, bill lee – another RINO – why can’t the people of Tennessee stop electing stinking fake conservatives?
With sick days / paid time off, and Alka-Seltzer Plus at the ready, and a Cold Virus with a 99% recovery rate, as the other 199 Cold Viruses; isn’t this a little overblown? I am so over it. Will someone please arrest Dr. Fauci, Bill Gates and all those involved?
Yet another example of Bill Lee, leading from behind. Great job, Governor….great job…..
*slow clap
bill lee the phony conservative. he has shown himself to be useless in the area of jab mandates