United’s pool of unvaccinated employees is shrinking fast as the airline begins the process of terminating unvaccinated employees. 46% of slow-to-be vaccinated United Airlines employees managed to upload proof of vaccinated status in just two days this week.
Monday was United’s employee vaccination deadline
United Airlines made headlines in early August when it became the first major airline in the United States to mandate employee vaccinations. The Chicago-based airline employs 67,000 workers in the United States.
“This fall, every US-based United employee will be required to receive a COVID-19 vaccine,” United Airlines told its employees in August.
“We know some of you will disagree with this decision to require the vaccine for all United employees. But we have no greater responsibility to you and your colleagues than to ensure your safety when you’re at work.
“So, the latest potential deadline for meeting this requirement is October 25. However, according to media reports, the FDA is likely to announce its full approval for the vaccine early next month, so the earlier timeline is more likely.”
270 United employees upload vaccination evidence in 48 hours
That timeline did get brought forward, the deadline fast-forwarding to Monday, September 27. By then, whether happily or not, 96% of United’s United States-based employees had uploaded proof of their vaccination status. Some 2,000 employees sought exemptions for religious or medical reasons. United says if the exemption is granted, those workers will go onto temporary unpaid leave.
But a hardcore cohort of 593 employees declined vaccination and did not apply for an exemption. One day after the Monday deadline, United Airlines began the process of terminating their…