Ninety-nine percent of United Airlines workforce provided proof of vaccination prior to Monday’s deadline, now the company is set to begin laying off the less than one percent of their 67,000 workforce that refuse to get the shot.
According to The Hill, United will give approximately 600 employees one more chance to comply with the COVID-19 vaccine obligations before firing those who refuse to get vaccinated without seeking an exemption or provide proof of vaccination.
Some of the 593 employees who have not yet complied with the requirement could still be kept on staff if they have started the vaccination process and had not forwarded proof to the airline, CNN reports.
About 2,000 other United employees have sought a medical or religious exemption from the vaccine. Their cases are now being considered by the airline.
“This was an incredibly difficult decision but keeping our team safe has always been our first priority,” United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said in a memo on Tuesday.
“Our rationale for requiring the vaccine for all United’s U.S.-based employees was simple — to keep our people safe — and the truth is this: everyone is safer when everyone is vaccinated, and vaccine requirements work,” United executives added.
United has the strictest vaccine mandate among the top U.S. airline companies. They are the only major airline to fire employees who refuse to get vaccinated. They also do not give their employees the option to choose between getting vaccinated or be subjected to weekly COVID-19 testing.
