WASHINGTON, Sept 16 Reuters - United Airlines said on Thursday that close to 90% of its U.S. based employees had uploaded proof of COVID - 19 vaccinations ahead of the company's Sept. 27 deadline.
United has taken a tough stance on employees who refuse to be vaccinated and became the first U.S. carrier to provide vaccines for employees in early August after declining to get vaccinated.
The company also said that 95% of its U.S.-based management was fully vaccinated.
New United Chief Executive Scott Kirby told CNN the airline would not require vaccines for passengers and would follow a government mandate if adopted.
Kirby said it feels like a more efficient approach for employers to mandate vaccines rather than create a huge infrastructure at airports to prove passengers have been vaccinated.
Last week, United said employees who receive temporary, unpaid exemptions https: Reut.rs 3 En 1 P 2 i from the company for COVID - 19 vaccinations would be placed on unpaid medical leave from October 2.
The United said nearly 20,000 employees have uploaded records since the company announced https:// Reut.rs 3 Eyql 0 K its mandatory vaccination policy.
The Biden Administration said on Monday that most federal employees must be fully vaccinated https: reut.rs 3 ChAyfT against COVID-19 no later than Nov 22, pushing large employers to have their workers inoculated or tested weekly
Some airline officials told Reuters they are waiting to see a Labor Department emergency temporary standard ETS detailing rules on COVID testing or COVID - 19 testing for large private-sector firms before deciding on employee rules.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Commerce Department told travel executives that the ETS order is expected to go into effect in a matter of weeks. We were told last October. Airlines are also waiting for guidance from the Biden Administration about whether they are covered under an executive order mandating vaccines for federal contractors by Sept. 24.
Southwest Airlines told employees it would give approximately two days of pay to employees who share their vaccination status for COVID - 19 and are fully vaccinated until Nov. 15.
Southwest said that on Nov. 16 employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID - 19 in order to be eligible for quarantine pay.