More than two months after an appellate court ruled Ochsner cannot fire employees who refuse to get vaccinated, on Friday the Louisiana Supreme Court reinstated the measure.
The state’s highest court ruled that Ochsner, which is one of Louisiana’s largest hospital systems, does have the right to terminate workers for failing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
The ruling has far-reaching effects across the state, as it applies to all private employers, not just healthcare facilities.
Ochsner Health’s President and CEO Warner Thomas issued a statement after the ruling of the state’s high court on Friday saying they were pleased with the unanimous decision from the Louisiana Supreme Court upholding the legality of Ochsner Health’s vaccination requirement. Thomas added that as we are currently experiencing a new surge due to the Omicron variant, they continue to keep the health and safety of patients and team members a top priority.
