If You Work Here, Get Vaccine or Get Fired

The University of Pennsylvania Health System has given its employees an ultimatum: get the COVID vaccine before Sept. 1 or get fired.

All employees and clinical staff must be vaccinated against the vaccine no later than Sept. 1, 2021, a Penn Medicine spokesperson told FOX Business.

Effective July 1, 2021, all new hires will either have to provide proof of vaccinations or have had completed their vaccinations at least two weeks before beginning work.

Staff who choose not to get vaccinated for medical or religious reasons will have to apply for an exemption. Non-exempted workers who choose not to get vaccinated will be subject to disciplinary actions – including firing, according to the memo.

"As an institution grounded in the science and art of healthcare, we believe it is imperative for the University of Pennsylvania Health System to take the lead in requiring employee vaccinations to protect our patients and staff and to set an example to the broader community as we work together to end the COVID-19 pandemic," the Penn Medicine spokesperson said.

The legality of UPHS’s policy remains unclear. No other local health systems have implemented mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policies, according to the Philadelphia Business Journal.

As of Wednesday, May 19, 2021, about 124 million Americans, or about 38%, have been fully vaccinated.