Cease and desist notice sent to LANL over face mask, vaccine, testing mandates

On Friday, the public interest legal group New Mexico Stands Up! sent a cease and desist notice on behalf of “a large group of employees” at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The order was addressed to Thomas Mason, the laboratory director for LANL.

“This letter serves as formal notice to cease and desist all actions related to mandates requiring employees to wear a face mask, submit to COVID-19 tests or be injected with the COVID-19 vaccine as a condition of employment. As more particularly described below, such a mandate is in direct violation of State and Federal Law, and if the dispute escalates or results in a constructive or retaliatory firing or suspension, a lawsuit may be brought against you,” the letter reads. 

The legal group argues that because the testing, vaccinations, and masks are all authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under “Emergency Use Authorization,” that does not equate to approval by the Department. 

NM Stands Up! uses a quote from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) chief medical officer of the National Center for Immunizations and Respiratory Diseases who stated, “I just wanted to add that, just wanted to remind everybody, that under an Emergency Use Authorization, an EUA, vaccines are not allowed to be mandatory. So, early in this vaccination phase, individuals will have to be consented and they won’t be able to be mandated.”

Also cited was data regarding adverse effects of the COVID-19 vaccine, including illness and even deaths related to the inoculation. “As of July 9, 2021, VAERS reported 463,456 adverse events, including 10,991 deaths, from the COVID-19 vaccines,” the legal group wrote, adding that Dr. Peter McCullough, vice chief of internal medicine at Baylor University estimates that there are at least 50,000 deaths in the United States so far relating to the vaccination. 

Among other evidence cited, regarding mandatory testing, NM Stands Up! quoted the CDC, which previously noted that “It is unethical and illegal to test someone who does not want to be tested, including students whose parents or guardians do not want them to be tested.”

As of May 2021, the CDC’s previous statement had been updated to say, “Testing should not be conducted without informed consent from the individual being tested (if an adult) or the individual’s parent or guardian (if a minor). Informed consent requires disclosure, understanding, and free choice and is necessary for teachers and staff (who are employees of a school) and students’ families to act independently and make choices according to their values, goals, and preferences.”

The legal group wrote, “Employees at LANL have stated they are being retaliated against, discriminated against and being subjected to a hostile work environment as a result of not taking the injection. This includes being kept in a segregated area and not being allowed to join in certain socializing events. This is not acceptable.” 

“An employee has advised us that the employee’s supervisor had access to his health information and was sharing that with others. New Mexico recognizes invasion of privacy as a tort and a constitutional violation. We demand that whatever policies or procedures you are utilizing that gives access to employees’ health and medical information be ceased.” 

The allegations against LANL come after employees in May told the Piñon Post that the labs were running a “coercion campaign” to “force” injection of the COVID-19 vaccine, despite it not being approved by the FDA. Now, these shocking revelations in the cease and desist order lead to even more concern regarding LANL employees’ safety and privacy.