The latest at work: I returned yesterday after a 14 day quarantine. I took care of my father after Thanksgiving, he is 85, and we thought he just had a bad cold from his grandson, but he tested positive on the home test for COVID. (Had booster the week before, so not sure how accurate the test was with that floating around his system, but since he finished chemo two months ago, better safe than sorry. He spent two nights in the hospital, and is now back home.)
ANYWAY, I refused to go stand in line with people with symptoms to prove to my workplace I didn't have COVID. And I'm feeling fine. (And greatly enjoyed the break of working from home. As you do.)
Twenty minutes after work start yesterday, I was in someone's office chatting and the chief civilian walked up to us. (He put on his mask as he got close. Whatever.) He told me that I had to get everyone in my division to go online with their ID card and update their vaccination status by COB on form blah blah blah. I said, isn't that the one we gave you in hard copy in October? He said yes, but now they wanted us to use our card to put it into MilConnect. And that I would need to verify that this had been done, since only the immediate supervisor could check it - he can't see it at his end, nor can my top boss.
So I said - what happens if I DON'T? And then he tried to tell me that I had to do it because of the memo they sent out three weeks ago. Yes, they sent out a memo and my boss called and asked me to sign and acknowledge receipt but told that I was NOT waiving any rights or agreeing to anything. The man knows me well.
I checked the acknowledgement portion and sure enough, it said that I acknowledge that I've read the memo, but that said acknowledgement was not agreement with the contents. (The memo said I had to go online and update my status within five days or suffer the consequences, which could include disciplinary action up to dismissal. Realistically, this should take a while due to all the processes and protections, but not totally sure how that works in a country that can tell me to submit to an experimental vaccine or lose my job. We'll see.)
I told CC that he could hand me a memo telling me to buy a new car colored red, and I'd read it and acknowledge, but that didn't mean I was going to run to the car lot to buy a car.
Half an hour later I received an e-mail from the big boss - addressed to all Chiefs so I'm not singled out, I guess - reminding us that all of this had to be done by COB. I told my employees - all of whom folded the first week this started - and they were fine with it, so I reviewed and acknowledged. Then I got an e-mail saying I don't see that you've filled out the form, so please let me know if you've already done it. Maybe it's just taking a while for the system to update.
HAHAHAHAHAH!!! Umm, no guy, I just haven't done it and I'm not going to do it. Just like I didn't give you the hard copy. Your memo of three weeks ago says I can be disciplined for not getting the vaccine, and also for not providing the vaccination status. I choose door two.
Trying to figure out why this bothered me, I remembered my time as a defense counsel. Bane of my existence was trying to help clients who'd consented to a home or vehicle search, then they'd want me to contest the search. So much easier to do if they'd refused to consent and the police went forward, almost impossible to help them when their name is on permission to enter and search form. This feels the same - I'm not going to participate, do your worst.
Good times. No, I'm not going to get it. I turned in early retirement papers in lieu of. Again - not stepping in the frame. But good gosh, they never stop pushing.
But I don't like feeling so angry and controlled at work. Please pray for me, that I will trust G_d during these times instead of feeling like I'm alone in my decision. Help me treat it with humor rather than anger. You again? You KNOW I'm not going to give this to you. Want a cup of coffee while you're waiting? Or similar. I think I'll try that.
