Flu shots mandatory at Virginia Mason

Seattle's Virginia Mason Medical Center on Thursday became the first hospital in the state to require all employees to get vaccinated against swine flu, replicating a mandate it adopted for seasonal-flu vaccines in 2004.

Every employee at Virginia Mason, even those who do not deal with patients, must get vaccinated against H1N1 virus by Nov. 30. Exceptions will be given for medical or religious reasons, but all non-vaccinated workers must wear a mask.

Unionized registered nurses at Virginia Mason are the only group allowed to opt out of flu vaccines for any reason. The Washington State Nurses Association won two court rulings after arguing that Virginia Mason's seasonal-flu-vaccine policy was a work-rule change that must be negotiated with the union.

Also on Thursday, the nurses union filed suit in federal court to stop MultiCare Health System in Tacoma from implementing a new rule this month that calls for all workers with direct contact with patients to wear a face mask if they won't get flu vaccinations.

The nurses union represents workers at two of MultiCare's four hospitals: Tacoma General and Good Samaritan Hospital.

Officials at Virginia Mason and MultiCare said vaccinating workers is a safe and effective measure for protecting patients from the flu.

The nurses association is seeking an injunction against MultiCare.

The union said it supports aggressive voluntary vaccinations for health-care workers but objects to non-vaccinated nurses having to wear masks or risk getting fired.

At Virginia Mason, "a handful" of employees have lost their jobs since 2004 for refusing both seasonal-flu vaccinations and face masks, said spokeswoman Alisha Mark.

Kyung Song: 206-464-2423 or ksong@seattletimes.com