Six unvaccinated hospital workers fired in New Jersey

Six unvaccinated hospital workers were fired in New Jersey for failing to comply with the hospital’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

RWJBarnabas Health first unveiled its vaccination policy in late May. Team members at the “supervisory level and above” were required to be vaccinated by June 30, and inoculations would “eventually” be required for all staff.

At the time, the hospital said a majority of team members across its enterprise had already been fully inoculated, though it did not specify how many.

RWJBarnabas told The Hill in a statement that just about every staffer at the supervisory level or above had either been fully vaccinated or received exemptions or a deferral.

“As of July 14, 2,979 staff members, or 99.7 percent, who are at the supervisor level and above, have been fully vaccinated or received medical and religious exemptions or a deferral,” RWJBarnabas said.

“Regrettably, six staff at the supervisor level and above have not complied with the mandate and are no longer employees of RWJBH, per our policy,” the hospital said. It further said it would require all staff and physicians to get vaccinated “in the coming days.”

The hospital added that it will announce plans to require vaccinations for all staff and physicians “in the coming days.”

The firings were previously reported by NBC News.

The firings are the latest as hospitals across the country enforce their vaccination mandates.

Earlier this month, the Medical University of South Carolina fired five staffers for failing to comply with the hospital’s vaccination policy. The hospital also gave its employees until June 30 to get inoculated.

Meanwhile, more than 150 workers either resigned or were fired from the Houston Methodist hospital system for failing to comply with its vaccine mandate.

Houston Methodist was the first to require its staff get vaccinated, which led to a legal battle between the hospital and some of its workers. A federal judge upheld the mandate last month.

–Updated at 4:02 p.m.