SAN DIEGO – Four San Diego Community College District (SDCCD) employees who were fired over a COVID-19 vaccination requirement have their jobs back after the board reversed its decision, the district said Friday.

The district’s news release included a statement on behalf of SDCCD following the trustees’ earlier decision to fire some employees over their vaccination status, which was the topic of a SDCCD Board of Trustees meeting Thursday.

SDCCD’s statement said the decision to reevaluate accommodation options for “employees who have been subject to disciplinary action” comes amid improved public health conditions in the county, and that accommodation options for the employees who were initially terminated would be reassessed as part of appeal procedures.

It was a heated meeting Thursday when one of the four employees initially fired, Joanna Aud, spoke in front of the trustees and called her termination “discrimination.”

Aud and other people FOX 5 spoke to were against the firings and the vaccine mandate.

The school district said despite this decision, it will still require employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine and continue to allow people to apply for religious and medical exemptions.

SDCCD’s full statement can be found below:

“The Board of Trustees of the San Diego Community College District remains committed to providing safe and healthy education and work environments for all members of our communities. We recognize our communities have differing perspectives on COVID-19 and vaccination requirements. The district will continue to require employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and will continue to provide religious and medical exemptions and accommodations where safe and reasonable. In light of the improved public health conditions in San Diego County, the district is reevaluating accommodation options for employees who have been subject to disciplinary action. Accommodation options for terminated employees will be reassessed as part of appeal procedures. At this time, the Board of Trustees is not considering any employee terminations related to the COVID-19 vaccination requirement. As public health conditions in our region continue to improve, we are excited to see our communities returning to in-person classes and services as we expand access, success, and equity in our wide range of educational programs and support services. The district cannot comment on confidential personnel matters involving individual employees.”

Jack Beresford, director of communications and public relations for San Diego Community College