U.S.-based companies announced 19,064 job cuts in January, and 5,757 workers lost their jobs because they refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19, according to a report from Challenger, Gray & Christmas, an executive outplacement and coaching firm.
Of the job cuts for vaccine refusal in January, 4,934 were from healthcare providers, according to the report. The healthcare industry had the most job cuts in January, with 5,053.
"Many employers who implemented vaccine policies last year gave workers until early January to comply," said Andrew Challenger, senior vice president of Challenger, Gray & Christmas. "Job cuts remain low, and companies are still hard-pressed to fill open positions."
Staffing shortages are top of mind for hospital executives. Hospital CEOs ranked personnel shortages of all types, including physicians, as their No. 1 concern in 2021, according to the American College of Healthcare Executives' annual survey.