As San Diego-based Scripps Health continues to consider making COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for all employees, it is implementing the requirement for new employees, according to a memo to staff.
On July 27, Scripps CEO Chris Van Gorder told staff the organization has been evaluating the need to require vaccines for all employees and encouraged unvaccinated staff to get inoculated.
The health system already made vaccines a condition for volunteering at Scripps. Now, Scripps is expanding that measure to include new employees, according to the memo shared with Becker's Aug. 5.
The health system said offers on and after Aug. 16 will have vaccination as a condition for employment, with exemptions granted for documented and approved medical and religious reasons. New employees must show proof of vaccination or agree to vaccination when they are hired.
Students, vendors and others who routinely work at or frequent the organization's facilities for business will also have to be vaccinated, Scripps Health said.
As of July 27, about 15 percent of Scripps staff were unvaccinated. The health system has 15,000 employees and 3,000 affiliated physicians.