Florida Man Loses Job for Refusing to Get Flu Shot
Published at
Ingram Publishing/Thinkstock(ORLANDO, Fla.) — A Florida man who says he was fired over refusing to get a flu shot is now speaking out against the new policy of a Brevard County medical giant.
Certified fitness trainer Dave Stillwagon refused to get the mandatory flu shot his employer of six years, Health First, required of its more than 7,500 employees. For that, he lost his job Dec. 15. Now Stillwagon says the company’s policy violated his rights.
“They really don’t know ten years down the road what these effects are gonna be. But this is my choice, this is not a choice they get to make for me,” Stillwagon said.
In a statement, Health First, Brevard County’s first medical giant to require employee flu vaccinations, told ABC News more than 99 percent of its employees complied with getting the shots and it’s “proud to have taken the bold step in ensuring the safety of patients and employees.”
But Stillwagon still feels there’s not enough emphasis on non-medicinal ways to avoid getting sick.
“If we don’t stop and make a stand on some place, then this is not going to stop,” he said.
Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio