Syracuse, N.Y. — Central New York health care workers with religious exemptions to the state’s Covid-19 vaccination mandate could lose their jobs if they don’t get the first dose of the vaccine or obtain a medical exemption by Monday.
The state informed hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities home care agencies and hospices of the deadline in a letter sent earlier this week. That action came after a court ruling rejected the idea of vaccine exemptions based on religious beliefs.
Employees who do not get vaccinated can no longer work in jobs where they could expose other workers and patients to the virus.
About 80 workers with religious exemptions at St. Joseph’s Health in Syracuse could be suspended Tuesday if they don’t meet the Monday deadline. Another 113 workers with religious exemptions at Crouse Hospital could lose their jobs Tuesday if they don’t get the shot. Upstate University Hospital officials did not respond to an inquiry earlier today from syracuse.com | The Post-Standard asking about how many of its workers have religious exemptions.
Hundreds of health care workers in Central New York have already lost their jobs for refusing the vaccine.
Many hospitals and nursing homes are already severely short-staffed. Upstate University Hospital recently closed about 20% of its staffed beds because it has 400 vacant registered nurse positions.
Monday’s deadline “couldn’t come at a worse time,” said Gary Fitzgerald of Iroquois Healthcare Association, a hospital trade group.
He said further job losses related to the religious exemption revocation will make the staffing shortage worse.
The state’s original Covid-19 health care worker vaccination mandate issued in August included both medical and religious exemptions.
But the religious exemption was eliminated in the final version of the mandate approved Aug. 26.
Seventeen health care workers sued the state in federal court on the grounds that the mandate conflicted with their religious beliefs. A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction last month blocking the state from enforcing the mandate on workers who had or were seeking religious exemptions.
The state appealed the decision. On Nov. 1 a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit vacated the preliminary injunction. The panel called the mandate “… a reasonable exercise of the State’s power to enact rules to protect the public health.”
Another group of health care workers opposed to the state mandate has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to issue an emergency stay blocking enforcement of the mandate on people with religious objections to the vaccine.
St. Joseph’s Health employees with religious exemptions who don’t get the shot by Monday will be suspended without pay, said Dr. Philip Falcone, St. Joe’s chief medical officer. Those who don’t get a second dose by Dec. 15 will be suspended without pay on Dec. 16. Those who don’t comply by Jan. 8 will be fired on Jan. 9.
“Our goal is to minimize the number of previously-exempt colleagues who will have to leave the health care profession,” Falcone said. “We expect to have a clearer estimate of the new mandate’s impact after the deadline passes.”
St. Joe’s employees fired for refusing the shot can get their jobs back if they change their minds and get the vaccine within a year.
St. Joe’s fired 78 workers in October for not complying with the mandate. Upstate University Hospital fired or suspended 113 workers, while Crouse Hospital let go at least seven employees.
Loretto, a 2,400-employee operator of nursing homes and assisted living centers in the Syracuse area, has only nine unvaccinated workers with religious exemptions. They must get the first shot by Monday in order to keep their jobs, said Julie Sheedy, Loretto’s chief marketing and engagement officer.
James T. Mulder covers health and higher education. Have a news tip? Contact him at (315) 470-2245 or jmulder@syracuse.com
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November 19, 2021 at 04:08AM
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More CNY health care workers will lose jobs if they don’t get Covid shots by Monday - syracuse.com
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