The Massachusetts State Police must reinstate seven police officers who refused to be vaccinated against COVID-19, an independent arbitrator has ruled. The agents have been on leave without pay, but the arbitrator’s decision means they can return to work with back pay if they choose.
The union representing state troopers, which plans to hold a news conference Monday outside the State House, filed a grievance after law enforcement officers were suspended following former Republican Gov. Charlie Baker’s 2021 order that required employees of the executive department to be vaccinated. Incumbent Democratic Gov. Maura Healey lifted the vaccination mandate in May.
The Massachusetts State Police is in the process of determining the “scope, as well as administrative and legal steps” necessary to implement the arbitrator’s ruling, David Procopio, an agency spokesman, said in an email Sunday.
The arbitrator found that the State Police violated a collective bargaining agreement in the way it handled the cases of eight police officers who cited religious reasons for refusing to receive the vaccine. The agency summarily discharged the soldiers instead of reviewing their accommodation requests, the arbitrator said Friday. One of the eight soldiers later returned to work.
The Massachusetts State Police Association criticized the previous Baker administration for refusing to work with police officers.
“These members, whose religious convictions were trampled on and left without pay or benefits, can now choose to return to work and will recover through back pay and earned seniority,” said Patrick McNamara, union president. He said the union will continue to fight for another 13 soldiers who were not deemed eligible for waivers and were discharged or dishonorably discharged for not getting vaccinated.
