US Wants Major Airlines To Make Vaccines Mandatory For Staff
US federal contractors must mandate vaccines, which could impact many airlines with federal contracts.
The White House is pressuring major U.S. airlines, many of which have a number of federal contracts, to make COVID19 vaccines mandatory for employees in time to meet the deadline for federal contractors to do so, Reuters reported citing four sources.
The United States has ordered all federal contractors to get vaccinated by Dec. 8 and shows no signs of postponing the date for airline employees, Reuters said. White House
COVID19 response coordinator Jeffrey Zients spoke to CEOs of American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines on Thursday to ensure they are working quickly to develop and make meet vaccine requirements by this deadline. .
President Joe Biden last month signed an executive order requiring federal contractors to allow COVID19 injections for employees, with the White House last week setting a deadline of December 8 to complete vaccinations.
American Airlines said Friday night that more than 100,000 U.S.-based employees will need to be vaccinated, but did not specify a compliance date. He added that employees will be able to request religious or health exemptions from vaccination.
Some airline officials had asked the White House to postpone the demands, signed by Biden last month, until the busy holiday season ends.
Zients urged airlines "to act as soon as possible to ensure the smoothest possible implementation process," a source said, and made it clear that the White House has no intention of relax the time limit. United Airlines' vaccine requirement was announced in August.