New York’s largest well being supplier introduced Monday it has fired 1,400 workers who refused the COVID-19 vaccine earlier than the state’s mandate deadline.
The remaining 76,000 workers have acquired not less than one dose of the vaccine.
Northwell Well being stated in an announcement obtained by the New York Instances that no affected person care has been disrupted, and it’s at the moment hiring to fill the newly vacant positions.
NEW YORK HOSPITALS FACE STAFFING SHORTAGES AS DEADLINE APPROACHES FOR UNVACCINATED WORKERS TO BE FIRED
“Northwell Well being is proud to announce that our workforce — the biggest in New York State — is one hundred pc vaccinated. This permits us to proceed to offer distinctive care in any respect of our services, with out interruption and stay open and absolutely operational,” Northwell stated in its assertion. “Northwell has taken a fast, aggressive strategy to maneuver efficiently towards full vaccination compliance whereas sustaining continuity of care and making certain that our excessive normal of affected person security shouldn’t be compromised in any method. We thank the overwhelming majority of our workers who did the proper factor and acquired vaccinated.”
All workers have been required to be vaccinated by Sept. 27 no matter whether or not they interacted with sufferers. It’s unclear what jobs the workers who have been terminated held.
The state mandate requiring vaccination was handed in August, beneath then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo . His successor, Kathy Hochul , has saved the mandate in place.
Initially, the mandate stated it will permit for medical exemptions and never non secular ones. Nonetheless, the assertion was taken to courtroom, and a federal choose filed a short lived halt on the order. The choose will rule on whether or not non secular exemptions are protected beneath the Structure on Oct. 12.
