INDIANAPOLIS– Indiana University Health announced Thursday that 125 employees have been terminated after choosing not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

A spokesperson provided the following statement:

“Indiana University Health has put the safety and well-being of patients and team members first by requiring employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Sept. 1. After a two-week unpaid suspension period ending Sept. 14, a total of 125 employees, the equivalent of 61 full time employees, chose not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and have left the organization.”

The hospital system has about 36,000 employees. 

The healthcare provider set a Sept. 1 deadline for workers to get the vaccine. IU Health said a few weeks ago that staff was 97% compliant. Employees who were not in compliance were suspended.

We asked how many suspended employees chose to get vaccinated and were told they do not have that data.

However– we’re told most of the employees let go worked part time and this will have minimal effect on staffing.

“We want to increase the vaccination rates within our own staffs because we need to keep them safe, patients and family members who visit,” said Brain Tabor, President of the Indiana Hospital Association.

Those who were suspended were told they’d be allowed to return to work if they agreed to partial or full vaccination.

Exemptions were allowed on medical or religious grounds.