Essential Health says it went to great lengths to make sure employees had time to get their flu shots or apply for an opt-out on medical, religious, or philosophical grounds. It also tried to make it as easy as possible by offering multiple, free vaccine clinics, sending vaccine carts around so workers wouldn’t even have to leave their post. It provided ample incentive, too, notifying workers that if they did not get vaccinated (or an approved opt-out) by November 20, they would no longer be allowed to work at the Midwest hospital chain. The company, which employees nearly 14,000 people, kept its word by giving close to 50 refuseniks the boot before Thanksgiving. The Infectious Diseases Society of America, the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, and the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society are among the organizations that support mandatory immunization of healthcare workers—without any opt-outs except for medical reasons.
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Hospital System Fires Dozens of Employees Who Refused to Get Flu Shots