United Airlines’ employees will be mandated to have their COVID-19 vaccine received by late October, or they fear losing their jobs. This is a tactic that many US employers are taking advantage of in order to achieve a higher vaccination rate for Americans to avoid the Delta variant from threatening more metropolitan cities in the country. However, American, Delta, and Southwest Airlines will not be enforcing such a policy.
In June, the United Airlines executives shared that they may push the vaccination mandate sooner if the FDA approves of the new Pfizer vaccine prior to the airline’s fall date. The major air-service will evaluate their employees individually based on their medical conditions and religious affiliations that may prevent an internal staff member from being able to receive the vaccine. Over 80% of flight attendants and pilots are vaccinated according to the three major unions at United Airlines.
Delta Air Lines became the first airline to mandate that their new hires become vaccinated. While Delta’s CEO Ed Bastian announced that 75% of the airlines employees are already vaccinated.
Southwest Airlines head Gary Kelly is following the same stance as Delta when it comes to not requiring that their staff be vaccinated even though he states that he will continue to encourage his employees to consider being vaccinated.
American Airlines CEO Doug Parker stated during a New York Times interview that he has implemented the benefit of granting vaccinated staff another day of vacation in 2022.
Company incentives are being offered for many people who get vaccinated whether that be on the way to their actual vaccine appointment or rewarding these individuals with more employee benefits. To avoid the staggeringly climbing rates of the Delta variant in heavily-populated states, employers are raising their efforts to prevent more people from being infected by pushing their staff to take the vaccine. This includes paid ride-shares and days off for those who have scheduled vaccine appointments.
So, these 3 major airlines are not too far astray from the other set vaccine mandates when their employees are taking precautions before entering the workforce.
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