In a recent legal battle, a group of city employees challenged the City of Chicago's COVID-19 Vaccination Policy, claiming it was unlawfully enacted. The plaintiffs filed their complaint in Sangamon County Court on March 17, 2022, against the City of Chicago and its officials, including Dr. Allison Arwady and Mayor Brandon Johnson. The case was later transferred to Cook County due to jurisdictional reasons.
The plaintiffs, consisting of numerous city employees, argued that the vaccination policy lacked legal authority as it did not specify which city official authorized it or under what law it was implemented. They sought declaratory and injunctive relief to nullify the policy and prevent enforcement by city officials. The defendants countered by asserting that the City had inherent authority under municipal code to manage its workforce and implement health-related policies.
Despite multiple amendments to their complaint, the plaintiffs failed to convince the court that their claims were valid. They contended that no specific agent of the City had lawful authority to enact such a policy. However, during court proceedings, they admitted there might be managerial rights for such policies but focused on questioning who legally adopted it.
The court ultimately dismissed the plaintiffs' complaint with prejudice under section 2-615 for failing to state a claim upon which relief could be granted. The dismissal was based on insufficient factual allegations and lack of supporting legal authority regarding the enactment process of the vaccination policy.
Representing the plaintiffs were various attorneys from different law firms while Judge Pamela McLean Meyerson presided over the case in Cook County Circuit Court. The case ID is No. 1-24-0071.