Several large U.S. companies have begun mandating COVID-19 vaccines for their employees.
Some companies are mandating vaccines only for certain employees. Others include certain caveats, such as mandatory masks based on vaccination status. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued guidance that companies can require vaccinations but medical and religious exceptions must be made available. (RELATED: Biden Says He Wants Mandates For Vaccines Throughout The Nation)
Google CEO Sundar Pichai sent an email to all 130,000 employees Wednesday informing them that in order to return to work in person, they will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Pichai said Google will “share more details on an exceptions process for those who cannot be vaccinated for medical or other protected reasons.” The mandate will also apply to tens of thousands of contract employees, according to The Associated Press.
Facebook rolled out vaccine mandates for its 48,000 employees Wednesday. A statement from Facebook Vice President of People Lori Goler was released on Twitter where she states “we will be requiring anyone coming to work at any of our U.S. campuses to be vaccinated.” Similar to Google, there is mention of an exception for “medical or other reasons.”
New statement from Lori Goler, Facebook VP, People: pic.twitter.com/W2Ky0jolOu
— Dani Lever (@Dani_Lever) July 28, 2021
Norwegian Cruise Line
Miami based Norwegian Cruise Line is requiring that all passengers and crew members be vaccinated, an issue in the state of Florida where Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has banned employer vaccine mandates.
Netflix
The Netflix vaccine mandate does not apply to all employees, rather for “Zone A” employees, which includes all those in the cast and crew of its U.S.-based productions, according to Deadline. The implementation of the mandate is in conjunction with agreements reached between Hollywood unions and major film and television companies.
Netflix reportedly implements a vaccine mandate for the cast and crew of all its U.S. productions, becoming the first major Hollywood studio to do so.https://t.co/OLgusrQaI9
— Ken Yeung (@thekenyeung) July 28, 2021
Before temporarily shutting down its offices in response to the surge in positive COVID-19 cases this week, Twitter was requiring proof of vaccination for all in-person employees, according to Reuters.
Lyft
All Lyft employees are required to provide proof of vaccination before returning to work in the office, according to CNN Business.
BlackRock
BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, mandated vaccines in June for all employees who intend to return to work in person. Employees were required to submit their vaccination status by June 30, according to Bloomberg. Those who are not vaccinated are still eligible for employment but are not permitted to come into the office. (RELATED: ‘Get Us A Fair Contract’: Hundreds Of Alabama Coal Miners Protest Outside BlackRock Headquarters In New York City)
Morgan Stanley
Financial firm Morgan Stanley banned unvaccinated employees from its New York office, requiring them to report their vaccination status by July 1. The ban extended to visitors and even clients effective July 12, according to Wall Street Journal. Morgan Stanley is expected to extend the ban to its other U.S. offices.
Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, and JPMorgan Chase
Similar to Morgan Stanley, these U.S. financial firms are asking their employees to confirm or log their vaccination status. JP Morgan Chase is requiring the unvaccinated or those who choose not to respond to wear masks at work, according to CNBC. Goldman Sachs’ directives “could be the first step to eventually issuing employee mandates,” according to NBC News.
Saks Fifth Avenue
High-end department store Saks Fifth Avenue is requiring all its employees to be vaccinated, according to The New York Times.
The Washington Post
Employees at The Washington Post are required to present proof of vaccination by mid-September, coinciding with the planned reopening of the offices at 3 days a week, according to Reuters.
United Airlines and Delta
United and Delta are requiring proof of vaccination for new employees only. Additionally, United mandated vaccines for all crew members flying to countries with high COVID-19 positivity rates, according to Reuters.
Ascension Health
According to a press release, Ascension Health will require all 160,000 associates to receive vaccination by November 12, writing “together, we will put this pandemic behind us so that we can continue to focus on meeting the needs of those who come to us for care.”
Union Square Hospitality Group
Danny Meyer, Chief Executive Officer of Union Square Hospitality Group, announced that all of his restaurants across New York City and Washington D.C. will require proof of vaccination from both employees and customers. Meyer is the founder and chairman of the board of Shake Shack, a nationwide burger chain. He said that the mandate will not extend to Shake Shack at this time during a Thursday morning interview with CNBC.
Walmart
Walmart will require all workers at its headquarters and its managers who travel within the U.S. to be vaccinated by October 4. All store and warehouse employees in areas with high COVID-19 positivity rates will be required to wear masks regardless of vaccination status, according to Associated Press.
Disney
Disney will mandate vaccination from all on-site salaried employees, stating “any employees still working from home will need to provide verification of vaccination prior to their return” according to Reuters. Non-union hourly employees and new employees are also required to be vaccinated.
The legitimacy of employer-mandated vaccinations remains under question as litigation takes place across several states. A major question of the legality centers around the emergency use authorization aspect of the vaccinations, according to Fox News. The Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines being administered in the U.S. have yet to receive Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. The FDA typically requires six months of safety studies before full approval.