750 Cleveland Clinic caregivers on unpaid leave for noncompliance of COVID-19 vaccine

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - The Cleveland Clinic confirmed approximately 750 of its caregivers were placed on unpaid leave of absence on Jan. 28 for failing to comply with the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

This includes those who have not begun the vaccination process or did not have an approved exemption or an exemption pending.

However, the Cleveland Clinic said 99% of more than its 65,000 U.S. employees complied by either receiving the vaccine or being granted an approved exemption.

“We value each of our caregivers and are proud that 99% of our caregivers have complied with the CMS mandate,” the Cleveland Clinic stated.

The COVID-19 vaccination mandate announced by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requires all of the Cleveland Clinic’s U.S. employees and service providers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The deadline for Cleveland Clinic caregivers to receive the one-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine or the first dose of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine was Jan. 27.

Caregivers who chose to get the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine must receive their second dose by Feb. 28.

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