The highest court in the state of Louisiana upheld a hospital COVID-19 vaccine mandate for employees, ruling that a top hospital can fire employees that do not comply with its policy. “This court finds Employer is entitled to terminate Employees for failure to comply with the vaccine mandate,” said the unanimous court decision, authored by Chief Justice John Weimer in a ruling (pdf) Friday. Employees of Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport and Ochsner-Lafayette General filed suits against the two respective hospitals in 2021, arguing that the state’s medical consent law prevented employers from setting up a vaccine mandate. Several employees said the mandate violates their right to privacy under the U.S. Constitution, according to The Advocate. “This matter arises from a suit challenging a COVID-19 vaccine mandate, which allows medical and religious exceptions, implemented by a private employer healthcare provider. The issue presented is whether the employees of the private healthcare …