Australian church slammed for ‘hypocrisy’ after sacking Covid-vaccinated worker

A Byron Bay woman has hit out at her former employer, claiming she was terminated for getting a Covid jab in a move branded “unjust and unfair”.

A NSW woman has slammed the “unjust and unfair” decision of her former employer to sack her for receiving a potentially life-saving Covid vaccination.

Laine Chait worked for the Newcastle-based Church of Ubuntu, which also runs a wellness clinic selling medicinal hemp products, for 12 months as a client care consultant.

But the Byron Bay woman’s position was terminated in October after the church discovered she had been vaccinated against the virus.

Ms Chait, who has built her career as an author, comedian, performer and patient advocate in the wellness industry, has long been dedicated to alternative medicine to treat her own epilepsy, and she told news.com.au the sacking was a “kick in the teeth” for many reasons.

She said while she disagreed with the government’s handling of the vaccination issue, she decided to receive the Covid vaccine in order to be free to travel to visit her mother, and also because she couldn’t risk catching the virus due to her condition.

Lainie Chait alleges she was sacked after receiving a Covid vaccine. Picture: Assunta Russo/Instagram @assuntarusso_art

“One of the symptoms of Covid is a high fever, and I can’t afford to have a high fever having epilepsy – I’ve had nearly 300 massive seizures in my life, and there’s no way I want to take the chance (with Covid) if I can help it,” she said.

“(The sacking) has basically flipped everything on its head emotionally – I’ve spent most of my adult life finding alternative ways to manage my epilepsy condition and actually going sideways from the medical system … so it was a kick in the teeth to my life’s work, as I’m on the same side of the fence they’re on.

“They are so angry at the political system and I am as well, but I was not seen as one of them anymore. I don’t feel like this is a statement for me, it’s a statement for the government, and I got in the way.

“There’s a lot of hypocrisy … and it’s a real kick in the guts because I’m back on the breadline.”

Ms Chait said she first realised she would be sacked around two weeks before receiving an official notice, after a colleague also sparked an “internal uproar” after revealing they were vaccinated.

Ms Chait alleged she was first notified of her termination via a voice message from church president Barry Futter which was posted in a company-wide Facebook chat which informed all colleagues of her vaccination status.

She then requested an official letter of dismissal as proof, which she received in October, but said she had not personally spoken with Mr Futter regarding the termination.

“I felt like they were ... hiding behind (the church’s) constitution and structure. They haven’t treated me with any dignity and respect at all,” Ms Chait said.

“Everything has been via email, text and voice file, even when I reached out and said, ‘talk to me’. I feel like an animal because of the choice I was coerced into by the government.”

The letter of dismissal, seen by news.com.au, describes the state government’s vaccination stance as “enforced medical apartheid” and states that no members are permitted to receive the jab.

“It is the position of the Church of Ubuntu (COU) that to receive the Covid-19/Sars Cov 2 injection consciously and deliberately with intent is in contradiction with our Constitution and contrary to our position on what is required of us by our Lord God and creator,” the letter states.

“As a consequence, Lainie can no longer be a full member of the COU.”

Ms Chait was offered two weeks’ pay and was told the church would help her find employment with an affiliated company which sold the same products, an offer she rejected.

“Why would I still want to make you money when you don’t want my expertise and when you are judging me on something I did that I felt coerced into anyway?” she said.

She said she felt as if the church had used her as a scapegoat and accused the organisation of “hypocrisy”, given the church still accepted vaccinated customers while rejecting vaccinated employees.

Lainie Chait received a letter of dismissal in October. Picture: Supplied

“This has turned my life upside down emotionally as well as financially. I want to send a message to (the church) that actions always have consequences, especially when those actions are unjust and unfair,” she said.

“I wholeheartedly support choice when it comes to personal health choices. It was a very difficult decision for me to make to get the jab due to spending decades of my life devoted to not needing the assistance of western medicine.”

Ms Chait said she was now devoting her energy to her podcast, Love your Diagnosis.

Lawyer Mark Swivel told news.com.au the case raises “serious issues of public interest” and that he hoped to have a further conciliation with the church and Fair Work by the end of January.

If that fails, the matter may be referred to a Fair Work Commissioner for a full hearing.

He said his client was seeking damages for unfair dismissal equal to around three months in wages plus back payment for superannuation and other entitlements that were never paid to her during her employment.

He said he believed the sacking was a clear example of unfair dismissal.

“The action of terminating employment due to a vaccination decision of an employee is inherently unfair,” he explained.

Barry Futter is the president of the Church of Ubuntu. Picture: Facebook

“The employee exercised a personal right to choose to vaccinate and did so in her own interests and the interests of others, in the middle of a pandemic, in line with prevailing medical opinion.

“There is nothing in the decision to vaccinate by an employee that relates to their performance or suitability for the work they were hired to do. To base a termination decision on such an action is both unfair and unreasonable.”

He added that there was nothing “specifically religious” about the central issue of vaccination, which meant he believed Covid vaccination status was not legitimate grounds for dismissal, as it did not contradict religious belief systems.

News.com.au contacted the Church of Ubuntu, president Barry Futter and vice president Karen Burge for comment.

A church spokesperson previously told news.com.au Ms Chait was welcome to take legal action.

“Ms Chait can of course seek legal remedy if she wishes, as in the alternative can the thousands and thousands of doctors, nurses, solicitors, healthcare workers and many other qualified professionals who have all had their jobs negatively impacted by choosing to NOT get the COVID-19 inoculation,” the spokesperson said at the time.

“We do not support the NSW state government’s medical apartheid and we view it as unconstitutional and undemocratic and it is contrary to our Church Constitution … and a significant threat to this country maintaining its position as a representative democracy.”

Originally published as Australian church slammed for ‘hypocrisy’ after sacking Covid-vaccinated worker