North Carolina health care system terminates more than 100 employees for being unvaccinated against COVID-19

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV/Gray News) – A health care system in North Carolina fired more than 100 employees for noncompliance with the system’s mandatory COVID-19 vaccination program.

Officials told WBTV last week that about 375 Novant Health employees across 15 hospitals, 800 clinics and hundreds of outpatient facilities were non-compliant with the program.

Those employees were given an opportunity to comply over a five-day unpaid suspension period, health system officials said.

“If a team member remains non-compliant after this five-day suspension period, he or she will have their employment with Novant Health terminated,” a statement read.

Novant Health officials confirmed Monday nearly 200 of those team members came into compliance over the suspension period, increasing the compliance rate to over 99%.

Those who did not come into compliance after the suspension period were terminated from their positions.

Team members are considered compliant if they have received the single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, a first dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, or if they applied for, and were granted, a medical or religious exemption.

Employees who have started a two-dose vaccine series have until Oct. 15 to get their second dose and remain in compliance, a news release stated.

Novant Health team members who have been granted a medical or religious exemption are required to undergo weekly COVID-19 testing and wear N95 respirator masks, or other appropriate PPE, and eye-wear protection while working on the health system’s premises, staff said.

The health care system announced the mandatory vaccination program in July, stating all employees would need to be vaccinated by Sept. 15.

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