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Syracuse, NY – Employees at Crouse Hospital who fail to comply with the state’s mandate to vaccinate against Covid-19 for healthcare workers will lose their jobs on September 28.
The hospital described this consequence of the refusal of the shot in a letter sent to employees on Tuesday.
“This separation will be considered a voluntary resignation,” the letter said.
Under the state’s mandate, workers in hospitals and nursing homes must have received at least their first vaccine by September 27, or face dismissal. In addition to employees, the mandate applies to medical staff, contract workers and volunteers who could potentially expose patients and other employees.
St. Joseph’s Health is also planning to lay off employees who do not get vaccinated. About 77% of its employees have been vaccinated.
Northern State University Hospital CEO Dr Robert Corona said he was waiting to hear from SUNY what the consequences would be for upstate employees who refuse to be vaccinated. About 88% of employees at Upstate’s downtown hospital and 82% of workers at its Community General campus have been vaccinated.
As of Thursday, 88% of Crouse’s 3,200 employees had been vaccinated.
“We expect that number to increase over the next two weeks,” said Bob Allen, vice president of Crouse. “As we have pointed out to our employees, this is not a Crouse decision but a New York State mandate that applies to all hospitals in the state.”
Statewide, 20% of hospital workers and 24% of nursing home workers have not been vaccinated.
Some hospital and nursing home officials warn the tenure could lead to massive resignations and layoffs of healthcare workers who refuse the shot. An exodus of workers could exacerbate the labor shortage that all healthcare facilities grapple with and affect services.
Stephen Hanse, of the New York Health Facilities Association, a professional nursing home group, said New York nursing homes expect to lose between 8% and 20% of their workers due to the tenure of vaccination.
Lobbyists at hospitals and nursing homes are calling on the state to change the mandate by giving workers who refuse injections the opportunity to wear face masks and undergo weekly Covid-19 tests. The state offers this option to teachers and other school employees who do not want to be vaccinated.
Crouse employees who refuse vaccination will receive their final salary for time worked on October 18, while their health insurance and other medical benefits will end on September 30.
James T. Mulder covers health and higher education. Do you have a tip? Contact him at (315) 470-2245 or [email protected]
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