New York’s largest healthcare provider fires 1,400 workers over vaccine refusal



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Northwell Health, New York state’s largest healthcare provider, laid off 1,400 of its employees on Monday who did not comply with the state’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

The company’s assistant vice president of public relations, Joe Kemp, confirmed to The Hill that Northwell had laid off 1,400 employees who had not been vaccinated as ordered by the former governor of New York. Andrew CuomoAndrew Cuomo’s’ Saturday Night Live ‘targets the Democrats’ stalemate at the season opener. (D). These employees made up less than one percent of Northwell’s workforce of more than 76,000 people who are all immune to COVID-19.

“Northwell Health is proud to announce that our workforce – the largest in New York State – is 100% vaccinated. This allows us to continue to provide exceptional care across all of our facilities, without disruption and to remain open and fully operational, ”the company said. noted.

The healthcare provider has maintained its “quick and aggressive approach” to ensuring full vaccine compliance while maintaining patient care, saying it sees having a fully immunized workforce part of its business. duty to protect the health of its patients, staff and the communities in which it operates.

“Northwell regrets having lost an employee in such circumstances,” added Northwell. “We owe it to our staff, our patients and the communities we serve to be 100% vaccinated against COVID-19. “

Shortly before stepping down as part of a sexual harassment investigation, Cuomo announced in August that New York would require health workers to begin their vaccination process by September 27.

“We must now act again to stop the spread,” Cuomo said at the time. “Our health heroes fought the battle against the virus, and now we need them to lead the battle between the variant and the vaccine.”

Northwell also announced its own vaccine mandate in August, Reuters noted, with the order applying to both clinical and non-clinical workers.

“Our goal was not to lay off employees,” Kemp told Reuters, adding that the layoffs would not affect patient care. “Our goal was to get people vaccinated. “

New York’s vaccination mandate came into full effect last week as the order increased vaccination rates among healthcare workers. According to state data, 87% of hospital staff were fully vaccinated last week and 92% of hospital and nursing home workers were at least partially vaccinated.

The state-wide mandate also did not result in widespread facility closures or mass resignations, as some officials had feared.

–Update at 10:51 p.m.



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