Pregnant nurse: I was fired for refusing flu vaccine

[Ms. Toad]

64. Her doctors disagree with you

that her fears aren't based in reality. They are treating her. They know her unique history. They may have information about what led to her previous miscarriages that you don't have (there are many different reasons for repeated miscarriages). Some of those may raise more concerns about the risk of vaccination than others. Whatever the concern is, her doctors are in the best position to evaluate her health and the current research and to decide whether the risks to her are greater to have the influenza vaccine v. influenza. Certainly they are in a better position than you, I, or her employer.

As for your disease transmission argument - this is just analysis of your argument, and an explanation of why I challenged it - you can't just jump from 1 person wearing a mask is perfectly fine - to letting everyone wear masks is bad. The logical extension of "1 is perfectly fine" is that "everyone" is also perfectly fine - unless you explain why there is a difference between 1 (or a handful) and everyone. The reality of disease transmission is obviously a lot more complex - and there probably are valid reasons to limit the number of people allowed to opt out and wear masks - but you didn't make that argument.

So - accepting your position that there needs to be a limit (for the sake of argument) - where should we draw the line?

Don't we get cranky when when employers try to inject themselves into the medical decisions made by their female employees (for example, abortions, working while pregnant, or access to birth control)? It isn't precisely the same issue - but it is very similar since this woman isn't just someone who doesn't feel like getting vaccinated because she heard on the internets that it causes autism. This woman is acting on the advice of (or at least with the support of) her obstetrician.

From my perspective, if the employer has decided that wearing a mask is an acceptable alternative for any group of employees who has opted out of vaccinations (in this case for religious reasons), it should offer the same option to this woman (and the small group of others similarly situated) - so she doesn't have to choose between following her doctor's medical advice and her job.