NEW YORK (PIX11) — Fired New York City school teachers rallied outside of the State Supreme Court in Staten Island on Tuesday.
Their attorney is seeking a class action certification for New York City workers who were denied religious accommodation from the city’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements.
Micheal Kane, a former high school special education teacher in Queens, is a plaintiff who refused to get vaccinated and lost his job. He’s one of almost 2,000 city educators who lost their jobs.
After two years of individual battles and clogged courts, they hope to get class-action status and fight as one.
If the court grants class-action status to fired educators, it could open the floodgates by setting a precedent for all city employees who were fired for not getting the shot, including firefighters, sanitation workers, and police officers.
Those who were fired are not only looking to be reinstated but also to recover back pay and benefits. The judge adjourned the case until Aug. 14.
PIX11 contacted New York City officials for comment and did not immediately receive a response.
