North Carolina-based Novant Health says it has fired more than 100 employees who refused to follow its COVID-19 vaccination policy. Of the 375 employees who were suspended for being unvaccinated, nearly 200 are now compliant, and the rest have been fired.
Novant suspended 375 employees last week, giving them five days to get into compliance with the health care system's vaccination policy. That means they either had to have at least one COVID vaccine dose or be granted a medical or religious exemption. Of those employees, nearly 200 are now compliant, and the rest lost their jobs.
All of Novant’s roughly 35,000 workers across North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia were required to comply by Sept. 15.
Employees who need two doses to be fully vaccinated have until Oct. 15 to get the second shot. Workers with an exemption must take weekly COVID tests and wear N95 masks or other “appropriate PPE” and protective eyewear while working at Novant locations.
Novant says 99% of its remaining employees are now compliant with the vaccine policy.
The other large hospital system in Charlotte, Atrium Health, has mandated all of its teammates, including remote workers, physicians, medical residents, faculty members, fellows, trainees, contractors and volunteers, get fully vaccinated by Oct. 31.
