172 Windsor, Ont., hospital staff suspended without pay for not getting COVID-19 shots

About 172 staff members at Windsor, Ont., hospitalshave been suspended without payfor not getting their COVID-19 shots by the deadlines set out by their employers.

Windsor Regional Hospital (WRH) and Htel-Dieu Grace Healthcare(HDGH) both have policies mandatingthat as of Wednesday, Sept. 22, all staff and physicians must have had at least one dose of the vaccine to continue working unless an approved exemption is provided.

WRH confirmed in a news release that 96 per cent of its employees are fully vaccinated, butas of Wednesday, 140 employees plus seven professional staff members hadnot complied, with84 of them considered clinical staff. The staff who have not complied are now also placed on a two-week unpaid leave.

An official at HDGH confirmed the hospital has a 96 per cent vaccination rate. However, as of Wednesday morning, 32 employees have been suspended without pay.

The CEO of WRH saidthedecision was made to put the safety and well-being of patients, the community and team members first.

"We're very pleased that 3,398 of our employees or 96 per cent of our employees are doubled vaccinated or are following the policy," David Musyj said during a media briefing Wednesday.

WATCH |WRH's chief of staff says he's available to speak with vaccine-hesitant staff:

Windsor Regional Hospital chief of staff speaks with employees about vaccine concerns

3 years ago

Duration 1:27

CBC's Katerina Georgieva asks how the hospital is supporting those staff who are vaccine hesitant. Dr. Wassim Saad says he's spoken with staff about their concerns, and continues to engage with those that have questions.

Despite the shortage on staff, Musyj said the hospital is prepared.

"We'll be able to cope without them, I hope," he said.

"As it stands now, having them continue with us, the risk is too high given the statistics and given the type of population Windsor Regional Hospital cares for."

WATCH | Hospital's chief nursing executive says staffing levels are constantly monitored:

Windsor hospital monitors staffing levels amid vaccine policy rollout

3 years ago

Duration 0:58

Karen Riddell, chief nursing executive at Windsor Regional Hospital, explains the hospital is constantly monitoring staffing levels and hope more staff will choose to be vaccinated.

Karen Riddell, chief nursing executive at WRH,said her team has been working for months on staffing contingency plans and have been able to up levels.

"During the first wave of the pandemic, with us not having access to the vaccine, we saw a significant impact to our staffing and to our bed capacity because of outbreaks," said Riddell.

"Those outbreaks really occurred because we don't have the tools we do now, including the vaccine to help prevent transmission."

Riddell said she hopes more employees will choose to getvaccinated.

Meanwhile, the suspended employees at HDGH have until Oct.6 to get their first vaccinations, or face "termination with cause," according to a representative.

Staff at WRHhave until Oct.7 to do the same, or face terminationor havingtheir privileges suspended.

Erie St. Clair hospitals agree to same policy

All five Erie St Clair hospital organizations in southwestern Ontarioincluding Bluewater Heath in Sarnia, the Chatham-Kent Health Allianceand Erie Shores Healthcare in Leamingtonagreed to the same policy.

However, each hospital set its own deadline on the vaccination policy.

As of Wednesday,Chatham-Kent Health Alliance is reporting 88 per cent ofstaff are fully vaccinated, while another five per cent are partially vaccinated. A spokesperson for the hospital explained that 95 per cent of all physicians there are fully vaccinated.

The Chatham-Kent hospital said they have given staff members until Oct. 31 to be fully vaccinated.

At Erie Shores Healthcare, staff and physicians who have not been fully vaccinated are getting COVID-19 tests twice weekly. The hospital has given its staff until Oct. 4 to provide proof of having received at least one vaccine dose.

The hospital said as of Wednesday, 95 per cent of staff have at least one dose.

No details were available Wednesday about how many staffat Bluewater Health have complied with the policy. The hospital's deadline is Oct. 31.