Approximately 700 Rochester, Minnesota-based Mayo Clinic employees have been fired for failure to comply with a COVID vaccination requirement policy.
According to the StarTribune, workers had until Monday to either acquire their first vaccinations or request a waiver for medical or religious grounds, whichever came first.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the vast majority of exemption petitions were approved.
The Mayo Clinic is firing roughly 700 employees who failed to comply with the nonprofit medical center's mandatory Covid-19 vaccination policy. https://t.co/1D9QEYWLK3
— NBC News (@NBCNews) January 5, 2022
Vaccination Mandates in Mayo Clinic
Known as the nation’s premier medical facility, Mayo Clinic implemented its policy in 2021, stating it was essential to maintain the safest possible atmosphere at the clinic.
People travel from all over the globe to receive treatment at the facility.
Ask yourself why 700 Mayo Clinic employees aren’t vaccinated. https://t.co/VyVuHYVYi0
— Being Libertarian (@beinlibertarian) January 5, 2022
However, while the exact statistics are still being tallied, the clinic stated almost all employees across each clinic site cooperated with the mandatory vaccine schedule. They have either been immunized or acquired medical or religious exemptions.
As a result of the mandated vaccines, about one percent of the workforce across all sites will be terminated. This is akin to other healthcare institutions’ difficulties with establishing similar vaccination schemes.
The Mayo Clinic is the largest employer in the state of Minnesota. It also has hospitals and clinics in the states of Arizona, Florida, Iowa, and Wisconsin, among other places.
While the clinic expressed sadness at the loss of key staff, they stated they must take all necessary precautions to ensure the safety of their patients, employees, visitors, and the surrounding communities at all times.
If individuals who have been discharged from employment later decide to be vaccinated, they will have the ability to reapply and rejoin the Mayo Clinic in future job vacancies.
Vaccination Requirements Prove Controversial Nationwide
Companies in a variety of industries around the country mandated their employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccine; those who refused have been sacked.
According to WSOC-TV, Novant Health in North Carolina fired almost 200 of its more than 35,000 workers in September for failing to get vaccinated.
The Biden administration imposed vaccination regulations in November 2021.
It mandated healthcare institutions that receive government funds, as well as businesses with 100 or more workers, to have their whole workforce entirely immunized.
According to Reuters, the regulations have been legally challenged, with the Supreme Court of the United States scheduled to hold a hearing on their constitutionality during Friday.
Several of the challengers contend that President Biden and his government exceeded their constitutional powers.
According to Todd Logsdon, a lawyer based in Louisville who represents businesses on workplace safety issues, the majority of employers are uncertain about how to move ahead.
Some are worried about losing employees in a competitive labor market if they start imposing vaccination or testing requirements, according to Reuters.
Logsdon stated the Supreme Court should announce its verdict as soon as possible, saying the sooner, the better.
