United Airlines has announced that employees granted religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine will now be placed on unpaid leave.
The company informed staff of this latest development on Wednesday as COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the United States. The airlines previously announced that all staff members must be vaccinated but agreed to consider exemptions for people who declined the vaccine due to religious and medical reasons. Under the new regulations, anyone with exemptions will be forced to take unpaid leave until the “pandemic meaningfully recedes.”
Following the order, over half of United Airlines’ previously unvaccinated employees received the shot. If an employee’s request for a religious exemption is rejected, United warned that they must get the vaccination within five weeks of the denial notice or be fired. They must receive their first injection by September 27th.
If pilots, flight attendants, gate agents, and airport customer service staff who interact with passengers are granted exemptions, they may return to work once COVID-19 cases decrease, though no timeframe has been outlined. Other employees, such as mechanics and dispatchers granted exemptions, may return to work once United Airlines finalizes new testing and safety protocols.
