DENVER — UCHealth confirmed Monday 119 employees are being terminated for not getting vaccinated for COVID-19.
Employees were required to be vaccinated by Oct. 1 after the health group announced the vaccine requirement on July 28.
The 119 employees being terminated did not receive any of the three available COVID-19 vaccines or a medical or religious exemption, according to UCHealth spokesperson Dan Weaver.
The employees being terminated represent just .5% of UCHealth's 26,500 employees statewide. Of the 119 employees, 54 worked in the metro Denver region and 33 worked in northern Colorado, Weaver said.
The vaccination requirement has helped improve staffing with fewer employees testing positive for COVID-19, according to Weaver.
“No hospital wants to lose valued employees, but we know vaccines save lives and increase safety for everyone,” Weaver said. “We appreciate our staff members and providers who have chosen to be vaccinated to protect their family members, coworkers and our patients. Our dedicated health care workers are improving the health of Colorado’s communities during what has been an extremely difficult time for everyone in health care.”
Weaver said the employees leaving UCHealth are “welcome” and “encouraged” to reapply for their positions if they choose to get vaccinated.
