November 30, 2021 – Washington Co., WI – It was just before Thanksgiving when health care workers at the Samaritan Home in West Bend received word from Washington County about a mandatory vaccine requirement if they wanted to continue working at the facility.
The memo was distributed even though County Administrator Joshua Schoemann and County Board Chairman Don Kriefall issued a signed statement July 30, 2021 that mandates would not be issued in Washington County. Click HERE for the full statement.
“Enforcing any kind of mandates or dictating policy within our school systems, businesses, churches or organizations is not our role in county government. After consulting with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Washington Ozaukee Public Health Department, we can once again affirm that we will not enforce any such mandates. We encourage organizations to educate themselves and make the best possible decisions.”
From July to November, however the situation changed nationally and in Washington County and Schoemann reversed course.
Schoemann said the November 4, 2021 mandate from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services required the vaccine or the county had the potential of losing Medicaid funding. “Which of course, is all that funds Samaritan or the vast majority,” he said. “Basically, either employees get an exemption, either a medical exemption or a religious exemption or, if they don’t have the vaccine, they face possible termination.”
Fast forward to Monday, November 29, 2021 when Schoemann was contacted about 10 states that sued the Biden Administration over the mandate for health care workers.
Schoemann and his team spent Tuesday, November 30, 2021 exploring options and Tuesday evening came word a federal judge in Louisiana issued a nationwide preliminary injunction against President Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health care workers.
Schoemann issued a statement moments ago regarding Federal Judges blocking Biden Administration vaccine requirement
“I was thrilled to hear the news from various sources today regarding the decision by “U.S. District Judge Matthew Schelp…prevent[ing] the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) from enforcing its vaccine mandate for healthcare workers until the court can hear legal challenges brought by the 10 states.” (Reuters) I call on Attorney General Kaul to join these 10 states to seek relief for the people of Wisconsin. We need our Attorney General to ensure that we don’t put our healthcare workers in an unnecessary ethical dilemma, and that we don’t jeopardize healthcare funding for our poor and elderly in exchange for political wins with these ill-conceived mandates.
I continue to strongly encourage people to get the vaccine that’s best for them as their conscious and personal health allows, and I also strongly support those who object to the vaccine for the same reasons.”
As far as the order issued by the Samaritan Home on November 18, 2021, Schoemann said he will be reviewing the language of the injunction on Wednesday and looking into a pause or cancelling the mandate for healthcare workers at the Samaritan Home.
UPDATE: We are reviewing the judge’s injunction at this time. We will not enforce any mandate if the judge has in fact provided satisfactory relief. If such relief has been granted, formal communication to Samaritan staff will promptly follow.
Schoemann said the mandate from the Biden administration really isn’t about the vaccine. “This isn’t really about forcing a mandate, what they’re doing by doing this is they’re not funding patients. That’s the most frustrating part; if we don’t comply with the legal mandate, they’re not going to fund these patients at our nursing home.”
“It’s really sad we have to even think about the possibility of not being able to get paid for taking care of the senior citizens at the Samaritan in exchange for not allowing whatever number of our staff members who aren’t comfortable getting the vaccine. I mean, it’s a ridiculous decision to have to make.”
Questioned about the current staffing situation without the mandate, Schoemann said “it’s horribly difficult.”
“It was bad enough before. Before the discussions about what to do with the future. It’s made it more difficult and then COVID and these mandates on top of it. We’ve got CNAs in particular, who are leaving, not just leaving Samaritan, but they’re leaving the profession,” he said.
This is a working story and more information will be posted when details become available.
