The San Jose Spotlight reported that the VTA sent out about 50 letters on Friday to workers who are not vaccinated or received an exemption, according to an agency worker. The letters propose termination for individuals who won't get vaccinated following the April 29 deadline.
It's unclear how many workers may ultimately lose their jobs because of the policy VTA announced in January. According to the agency's latest report to the board of directors last week, more than 19-hundred workers -- about 90 percent of agency staff -- are vaccinated. Seventy individuals have religious or medical exemptions.
VTA spokesperson Stacey Hendler Ross told San Jose Spotlight she couldn't answer questions about how many workers have received proposed termination letters and couldn't describe VTA's timeline for disciplinary hearings.
The number of employees facing disciplinary action is large enough that VTA recently held an internal meeting for staff on who will serve as hearing officers on an ad hoc basis to address the vaccine cases. According to VTA sources, the first hearings are scheduled for next week.
John Courtney, Amalgamated Transit Union president and business agent, said most workers facing termination are light rail operators and bus drivers. He claims the public transit agency's decision to push forward with terminations is costly and unnecessary, given the option to have workers wear masks and take regular COVID-19 tests.
