Idaho National Laboratory’s vaccination requirement forces employees to leave the company

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – While the three federal immunization mandates are temporarily on hold, the Idaho National Lab has its own vaccine requirements that went into effect Nov. 19.

INL director John Wagner previously said it was in line with federal regulation.

He released this statement when it was announced, which reads, “This decision reflects our core value of security. It reflects our desire to protect vulnerable populations. As a leader in the state of Idaho and a national laboratory that is changing the world through great science, it reflects our willingness to use the best scientific data available to protect our people and accomplish our missions. “

Although INL could not give an exact number of employees who no longer work there, they called it “a small percentage”.

One such former employee is Andy Beasley, who worked there for 24 years and an additional eight years in the nuclear field while in the Navy.

“I was the senior facility engineer for the sample prep lab, which is a new hostel construction project to be used for nuclear materials research,” said Beasley. “I took up this position about a year ago. Before that, I was a test engineer and carried out safety analysis experiments for the transient reactor. And I also performed this function at ATR and also in the company at ATR. “

Beasley requested a religious exception but was denied.

“I’ve been out there for 24 years and I’ve never had such management or working conditions concerns,” said Beasley. “But to have this put on us and then, you know, to tell a company that I have religious objections to that and that it violates my tenets of religion and let them say, Well, we’re going to refuse that adjustment and go.” get the shot or get fired. “

Beasley also says the site will feel the loss of dozens of workers.

“The unfortunate part of this is that many of these workers cannot or can simply be replaced,” said Beasley. “You’re talking about people who have decades of experience with nuclear fuels or analysis, neutrons and things that support the reactors. And that’s what the location does with the test reactors and the nuclear research. It’s a very specialized, a very small group of people, they do what we do out there. And you don’t just go out there and hire someone to replace you. “

INL was asked to respond to concerns from the community and past contributors, but did not come back in time for this story.