About 200 UMass Memorial Health employees are out of a job because they missed the health care system’s COVID vaccination deadline.
According to CBS Boston, UMass Memorial announced the mandate over the summer with a deadline to get vaccinated or receive an exemption by November 1. Employees were let go on December 1 if they did not get the vaccine.
Boston25 News stated “So far, there has been minimal impact to operations, and we anticipate there will be minimal impact,” Dr. Karson said. UMass Memorial announced in August it would put a vaccine mandate in place for staff effective November 1.
That was the date that employees or caregivers needed to have at least the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Karson said the medical center held information sessions where employees could connect with a clinician and ask questions and get additional details about the available vaccines.
Those employees who still remained unvaccinated were placed on unpaid leave effective Nov.15. According to Karson, several hundred people were impacted.
