Akron Children’s Hospital puts an unknown number of employees who have not received a required COVID-19 vaccine on unpaid leave.
The hospital had a deadline of Tuesday, January 11 for its staff to receive at least two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines or one dose of Johnson & Johnson or face termination unless they have an approved exemption. The insurance originally had a deadline of January 4, but was delayed a week.
The hospital last fall required staff to be vaccinated or tested weekly. But Children’s changed its policy after the federal mandate, which would have required all health workers to be vaccinated or get fines from the government, was announced. That mandate is currently being stopped by a federal court.
More:Summa fires 7 workers who refuse COVID-19 vaccine. CEO says mandate ‘the right thing to do’
More:Protesters object to vaccine mandates as Akron Children’s Hospital reports a registered number of patients
On Tuesday, Lisa Aurilio, operations manager at Akron Children’s, issued a statement confirming that employees who had not met the hospital’s requirements would be put on unpaid leave.
“Although the January 11 deadline for our COVID-19 vaccination requirements is fixed, we are working with those employees who have expressed in good faith their commitment to be fully vaccinated,” Aurilio said.
“The employees for whom we have no registration of vaccination or exemption were notified on Friday that they will be put on unpaid leave,” she said in her statement. “This will not happen without a one-on-one meeting between an employee and the Manager.
“We value the contribution of each and every employee, but we must adhere to our basic commitment to provide the best possible care for every child in our service area. A vaccinated workforce is the best way to protect our patients, especially those who are immuno- compromised, chronically ill or not yet eligible to be vaccinated. “
It is unclear how many employees were notified on Friday that they would be put on unpaid leave, or how quickly it would happen. Employees could get their first vaccination until Tuesday, January 11, according to the policy.
Some employees and their supporters have held protests against the Akron Children’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, including a protest on Monday night. The organizers accused the hospital of refusing staff requests for religious or medical exemptions.
Akron Children’s Hospital spokeswoman Holly Pupino said the hospital had no further information or comments beyond Aurilio’s statement.
In December, the hospital said about 80% of staff are fully vaccinated against coronavirus. Pupino declined to say the current vaccination rate for employees.
Aurilio also issued a statement Monday before the protest, in which he said hospital officials “recognize the right of our staff and others to peacefully express their views and have listened to their concerns.”
“We know we have some employees with different opinions about the COVID-19 vaccine,” she said. “Requiring employees to be vaccinated for COVID-19 has been a difficult decision for Akron Children’s Hospital, but we follow the science that vaccines work. In reducing the risk of serious illness and hospitalization and in spreading the virus to others. Millions of Americans have received the vaccines.They are safe and effective.This policy is also in line with the policy of getting employees vaccinated for influenza annually and other diseases by being hired.These have been in place in many years.”
Other hospital policies
Summa Health was the only hospital in the Akron area last fall that required its employees and contractors to be fully vaccinated or face dismissal. The deadline was October 31, and Summa allowed its employees to continue working as they went through the disciplinary process.
Seven Summa employees were fired in late November or early December for refusing the vaccine, Summa CEO Dr. Cliff Deveny back then.
That figure is significantly lower than the 180, or 2%, of the health system’s 8,000-person workforce that did not meet the requirements in early November.
About 7%, or 566 employees, received a medical or religious exemption.
At the Cleveland Clinic, which operates Akron General, Mercy Hospital in Canton and Medina Hospital, staff are not required, but they are still encouraged to be vaccinated against COVID-19. On Tuesday, a spokesman for the Cleveland Clinic across the system said the number of 85% of vaccinated employees is still accurate.
Western Reserve Hospital in Cuyahoga Falls, which currently does not require staff to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, has 87% of its staff vaccinated against COVID-19, a spokesman said Tuesday.
Beacon Journal employee reporter Betty Lin-Fisher can be contacted at 330-996-3724 or blinfisher@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her @blinfisherABJ on Twitter or www.facebook.com/BettyLinFisherABJ. To see her latest stories and columns, go to www.tinyurl.com/bettylinfisher.
