A group of former King County firefighters who lost their jobs over their objection to the state’s vaccine mandate plan to file suit against their old employer for wrongful termination.
FOX 13 Seattle reported that in total, 10 employees who plan to file tort claims seek more than $171 million in damages against Eastside Fire & Rescue.
Former firefighter Rocky Martinez, who is seeking more than $15 million in lost wages and other damages, was one of the employees to plead his case with the department, but they wouldn’t accommodate his religious exemption.
"It hurts when I see a unit going by. I should be doing that," Martinez told FOX 13.
FOX 13 says some former employees are volunteering in neighboring jurisdictions – and others are making bigger changes, like Martinez, who said his family is leaving the state over the issue.
In a statement, the fire chief said the agency is "prioritizing health and safety for the community abiding by the governor’s vaccine mandate" – and that the department is cooperating with investigators from the equal employment opportunity commission.
