Louisiana Supreme Court upholds employer vaccine mandate

By JANET McCONNAUGHEY
Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Louisiana Supreme Court has upheld a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for the state’s largest healthcare system. The court said Friday that Ochsner Health employees don’t have a legal reason to sue because Louisiana is a state where employers have a legal right to fire anyone as long as the reason doesn’t violate other laws or the state or federal constitution. Ochsner’s CEO says the sysetem is pleased. Attorney Jimmy Faircloth represents employees who filed separate suits in Lafayette and Shreveport. He says they’re disappointed but have always understood the issue was bound for the legislature. He says, “There will be no shortage of co-authors for an ‘Individual Medical Rights Act’ in the upcoming session.”