United lays out employee rules as vaccine requirement looms

United Airlines said Wednesday that much than fractional its employees who weren't vaccinated past period person gotten their shots since the institution announced that vaccines would beryllium required.

The airline's 67,000 U.S.-based employees look a Sept. 27 deadline for getting vaccinated oregon look termination oregon unpaid leave.

Kirk Limacher, United's vice president of quality resources, made the connection astir vaccinations Wednesday successful memos to employees that spell retired however United volition grip requests for exemptions from the shots based connected aesculapian reasons oregon spiritual beliefs.

United declined to accidental precisely however galore employees person precocious been vaccinated, what percent of the workforce is present vaccinated, oregon however galore workers requested an exemption.

The hose said that successful astir cases, employees who garbage to get vaccinated won't beryllium allowed into the workplace starting Oct. 2. They volition either beryllium placed connected unpaid permission oregon look termination proceedings, which could hold their departure beyond aboriginal October.

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United says requests for aesculapian exemptions volition beryllium judged by aesculapian staffers including nurses, portion requests for waivers based connected spiritual beliefs volition beryllium handled by personnel-office employees.

The process for handling exemption seekers volition alteration somewhat depending connected the employee's job.

Employees whose requests for exemptions are denied volition get different 5 weeks to get vaccinated oregon look termination. The argumentation gets much analyzable erstwhile workers triumph a aesculapian oregon spiritual exemption.

Workers who routinely travel successful interaction with passengers, specified arsenic formation attendants, gross agents and pilots, and whose exemptions are approved volition look indefinite unpaid permission starting Oct. 2. They won't beryllium allowed backmost connected the occupation until the pandemic “meaningfully recedes,” according to 1 of the memos.

Employees who seldom woody with passengers — examples see baggage handlers and mechanics — and whose exemptions are approved volition besides beryllium enactment connected leave, but lone until the hose comes up with a program for play investigating and mandatory mask-wearing for them.

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Headquarters employees whose exemptions are approved volition beryllium placed connected permission until United decides connected information measures, including whether the idiosyncratic needs to travel into the office.

In explaining the rules to employees, United cites statistic connected the authorities of the pandemic successful the U.S., wherever caller infections are astatine their highest level since March and “likely to emergence into the autumn arsenic much radical are hospitalized.” Most of the cases, hospitalizations and deaths are occurring among unvaccinated people, the memos said.

Chicago-based United has taken the strongest pro-vaccination stance among U.S. airlines. Delta Air Lines says it volition levy a $200 monthly surcharge connected unvaccinated employees who are covered by the company’s wellness plan. Others including American Airlines accidental they volition chopped disconnected paid permission for unvaccinated workers who declaration COVID-19.

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