Spectrum employee risks job by avoiding flu shot GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM) - A Spectrum Health employee risks losing her job since she refuses to get the seasonal flu shot mandated by her employer. The employee, a part-time respiratory therapist, believes she should be exempt for religious reasons. "I'm a voice for those people who can't speak up right now" said Rachel Denherder. She said she knows of 15 to 20 coworkers who don't want to be forced to get the flu shot, but will comply for fear of losing their job. Spectrum has told all employees to get the free shot by November 30, or risk being in violation of employment requirements. Denherder says she is a Christian, and her request to be waived from the requirement for religous reasons was denied. "This is just something I believe in - I believe God created us with our own immunity... I feel like they didn't take into consideration my feelings at all" Spectrum Health's VP of Quality, Dr. David Dull, called the staff flu shot requirement "an ethical obligation we believe, to do the best to protect our patients from preventable illnesses...at this point in time we've not identified any religions that prohibit the flu vaccine." An associate professor at Cooley Law School says the hospital is within it's rights to require the shot be a condition of employment. "You have a right to your religious beliefs but you don't have right to work for Spectrum," says Curt Benson. Saint Mary's Healthcare, Metro Health and Mercy Health Partners strongly encourage but do not require employees to get seasonal flu shots.
11/3/2009 7:19:36 AM
