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SDNY COURTHOUSE, March 7 – The Federal Reserve Bank of New York wants to fire longtime employees Lori Gardner-Alfred of The Bronx and Jeanette Diaz of Bayonne, New Jersey for not being vaccinated against COVID-19.

  The two women won a temporary restraining order in New York State court. But the FRBNY removed the case to Federal court and Friday argued to dissolve the TRO and fire the women, saying that their harm is not irreparable.      

       On March 4, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Lewis J. Liman held a proceeding. Inner City Press covered it.  

 FRBNY in-house lawyer Alex Leonard argued the TRO should be immediately lift. The women, representing themselves, asked for time to respond to the papers the Fed, their employer for decades, had just given them.

  Judge Liman to his credit did give them time, until Sunday to file their response to his chambers by email. Then, it should be docketed.

   Jeanette Diaz asked about the FRBNY's definition and denial of religious exemptions. Judge Liman said perhaps Mr. Leonard could answer. But he said no, that would be getting in to the merits and the Fed's focus was getting the TRO dissolved and presumably firing the employees.

 Inner City Press, which recently reported on the FRBNY approving a bank merger application on a delegated basis - the FRBNY as a private not governmental entity has no authority to deny any merger application - by Berkshire Bank with a rare Needs to Improve rating in New York under the Community Reinvestment Act, here.

To the immediate petition for review to the Fed Governors in DC, there has been no response.

  On March 7, Judge Liman heard from the parties again. Inner City Press live tweeted here:

now staffers the Federal Reserve Bank of NY wants to fire for being unvaccinated are before SDNY Judge Liman as they were Friday. FRBNY lawyer: Now plaintiffs over the weekend make a a Constitution argument. But the New York Fed is not a government agency.

[Inner City Press: Then how does NY Fed approve bank mergers? See, FRBNY Approves Berkshire Bank With NTI Rating, here

Judge Liman: Even if discrimination were being alleged, would an injunctions be issues? NY Fed staffer's new/1st lawyer: The very pressure put on these plaintiffs to abandoned their bona fide religious beliefs is irreparable harm, per se

Judge Liman: What do you say about the NY Fed not being a state agency? Lawyer: They removed to this court by saying that are an organ of the Federal government...  [And, the Fed Board had this "non government agency," owned by banks, approving bank mergers]

 Lawyer: On the merits we have this Federal Reserve agency, now trying to revoke the religious exemption based on their job titles. These jobs could be performed remotely. Or, in the office a few days a week.

Lawyer: The Fed has granted others an ongoing exemption. That burden is on the Fed to offer up some justification. Judge Liman: What about irreparable harm?

Lawyer: There's the Northern District of NY case...  Judge Liman: Citation? Lawyer: 17 F.4th 368, 370

 NY Fed's Leonard: He says we are forcing them to violate their religious beliefs. But it is a condition of employment. They got a temporary accommodation, but there's no longer a reasonable one. We understand that's difficult. See, the Hawaii Airlines case.

 NY Fed's Leonard: They did not claim in their state court submission any free exercise violation. NY Fed is not a government agency.  Judge Liman: Authority for that? A: Uh, uh, NY Fed's employment actions are not state action. Judge: Cases? A: Nothing on point.

NY Fed's Leonard: There is no irreparable harm.

Judge Liman: I'm going to take this under advisement. I will render a decision quite quickly. Expect to hear from me soon. Plaintiffs' lawyer: There's a case, Agricultural Bank of China, 2016 WL 27566661

 NY Fed's Leonard: US v. Wells Fargo case, while not on point, the Federal Reserve Bank for the purpose of emergency lending are government agencies, but by implication, not as employers. Plaintiffs' lawyer: 24 hours for an interlocutor appeal? NY Fed: We object. ]

NY Fed's Leonard: We are doing this in the middle of pandemic. We shouldn't be restrained any longer. Judge Liman: Do you want to dismiss the complaint under 12(b)(6)? NY Fed: There's no complaint, it's futile. Yes, dismiss. Judge Liman: I'm asking about process.

 NY Fed's Leonard: We'll submit more papers in 2 weeks.

Judge Liman: Reply by April 11. We are adjourned. Inner City Press will continue to cover the case and the Fed (including the MUFG public meeting by the Minneapolis Fed - not a government agency? -- on March 8).

We will have more on this.

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