Injunction To Stop Vaccine Enforcement At Mass General Denied

BOSTON — A federal judge denied an injunction requested by multiple employees at Mass General Brigham Wednesday to stop the company from placing them on unpaid leave for not cooperating with the system's COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

Mass General Brigham employees had until Wednesday to show they have received at least one dose of the vaccine or be placed on unpaid leave. The hospital says those who have not received their first shot by Nov. 5 with face termination.

More than 230 Mass General Brigham hospital workers are suing the hospital after being denied religious or medical exemptions to the vaccine mandate which was issued in June.

But the judge on Wednesday did not rule on the issue of whether the workers at Mass General Brigham were the victims of discrimination for being denied medical or religious vaccination exemptions.

Another hearing is set for Nov. 2 to rule on the issue of whether the workers at Mass General Brigham were the victims of discrimination for being denied medical or religious vaccination exemptions.

"It is an emergency situation," U.S. District Court Chief Judge Dennis Saylor said on Wednesday. "Mass General Brigham is a major health care provider in a major metropolitan area with a very strong interest, as I said, in providing the safest possible facility as well as creating a public perception of safety.

Mass General Brigham said more than 98% of the system's workers are vaccinated.