Former employee claiming to have COVID, didn’t, is terminated

PRESCOTT – A county employee was recently fired and the termination has caused a backlash.

According to Nevada County Judge Mark Glass, Johnny Bourdess was terminated from his position with the Nevada County Solid Waste recently after telling a county resident he was made to come to work though he had COVID.

Glass said what happened was Bourdess told his supervisor, Wayne Ghourley, he’d been around someone who’d tested positive for COVID and needed to be off seven days to get tested. Ghourley, according to Glass, told Bourdess he needed to come to work. Ghourley called Glass who agreed as Bourdess could have worked inside the trash truck and worn a mask. While on the trash route, though, Bourdess reportedly told a woman who was bringing her trash out to stay away because he had COVID, though he hadn’t been tested at the time. When he was tested, the results were negative.

Bourdess admitted telling the woman he had COVID and was terminated. But, Glass said, this wasn’t the only reason for the termination. In fact, Glass said the county had 11 other documented incidents that resulted in the firing. Glass contacted the county’s attorney. “I didn’t want to fire him,” Glass said, “but I had no choice.”

Glass said Bourdess has been laid off in the past because of his behavior. Bourdess had been with the county more than 10 years. Glass said he and Ghourley have been called by residents who are upset because of Bourdess claiming to have COVID while working and have threatened to sue the county if they’re infected.