178 Unvaccinated Employees Suspended at Houston Hospital

A Houston hospital has suspended 178 employees for two weeks without pay for not complying with demands that they be vaccinated against COVID-19.

In a memo, Houston Methodist Hospital system chief executive Marc Boom said 24,947 employees complied with the vaccination requirement and that 27 of the 178 have received the first of a two-dose vaccine and won’t be fired if they get their second. The rest are subject to termination.

The memo says 285 other employees received medical or religious exemptions, and 332 were deferred for pregnancy or other reasons.

The hospital system has been sued by 117 unvaccinated employees for requiring vaccinations as a condition of employment.

Employees had a June 7 deadline to complete their immunization.