Unvaccinated Windsor Hospital Staff Fired

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More than 60 employees and employees of Windsor Regional Hospital were fired as of Thursday for not receiving the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

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When enacted in early September, the hospital’s vaccine policy required that staff and employees receive the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by September 22. After that, the unvaccinated employees were placed on unpaid leave and fired if they did not receive their first vaccination. doses before midnight on October 6.

The hospital reported Thursday morning that 98.5 percent of its staff and employees, or 4,155 people, have complied with the policy through vaccination or proof of legitimate medical exemption.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the Windsor Regional Hospital team for moving forward, taking the initiative and showing how important it is in healthcare and the hospital… getting vaccinated,” said David Musyj, hospital president and CEO.

Number one, the vaccine works

Hospital officials reported that 63 employees were fired or in the process of having their privileges revoked on Thursday.

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That includes 57 laid off employees and six professionals where the hospital is going through the process of having their privileges suspended. Professional staff could include doctors, midwives, and dentists.

Of the 57 laid-off employees, 32 were clinical (or patient-facing) and 25 were non-clinical.

Representatives for CUPE Local 1132, representing staff at Windsor Regional Hospital and Hôtel-Dieu Grace, did not respond to a request for comment.

Ninety-nine percent of the more than 2,000 nurses at the hospital are vaccinated.

At Hotel-Dieu Grace, which has a similar vaccination policy, 98 percent of staff and employees are fully vaccinated. So far, 24 employees(19 clinicians and five non-clinicians) and two professionals have not complied with the policy and have been fired or had their privileges suspended.Five staff members have complied with the policy throughmedical or human rights exemptions, hospital officials said in a statement.

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At Windsor Regional Hospital, a spokesperson said fewer than five people have exemptions that are“Limited time.” None of the staff members who received waivers as of Thursday currently work at the hospital.

At Erie Shores HealthCare, staff who have not received at least one dose of the vaccine took leave without pay starting Monday and face termination if they do not get vaccinated by October 18. There are currently 10 people on license and the organization has a vaccination rate of 98 percent.

Because the organization is on a different schedule than the Windsor region and the Hotel-Dieu Grace, no staff have yet been laid off under the vaccine policy.

Musyj said the hospital has started recruiting to fill the vacant positions as a result of the policy. Some full-time positions could be filled by current part-time employees, he added.

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What if a staff member changes their mind and gets vaccinated? They are welcome to apply, but would lose any seniority, Musyj said.

Members of the Essex County Medical Society, which represents more than 460 physicians across the region, support vaccination, the association’s president said Thursday.

“I overwhelmingly support policy implementation and feel very confident… that all staff I work with are vaccinated,” said Dr. Jessica Summerfield, also a hospitalist at Windsor Regional Hospital.

Dr. Wassim Saad, the hospital’s chief of staff, and Karen Riddell, director of operations, said service levels are not affected.

“In September we had 140 employees out of work, so we’re actually in a much better situation now than we were a few weeks ago,” Riddell said.

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In a statement, Ontario Nurses Association officials said they encourage all members to get vaccinated, but support education, not firing nurses. The organization does not collect information on how many of its members are vaccinated.

Hospital officials have received a large number of positive comments about the policy, Musyj said.

“Number one, the vaccine works. Number two, vaccine mandates work, ”Musyj said.

“Aside from the community and patients, our own staff is saying ‘thank you for protecting me, thank you for protecting my family.’ They are also people. “

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