UA Requiring All US Employees to Vaccinate - now by 27 Sept 2021
Aug 6, 2021, 5:57 am
#1
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UA Requiring All US Employees to Vaccinate - now by 27 Sept 2021
Wow!
United Airlines to Require All U.S. Employees to Get Covid-19 Vaccines. WSJ.
1. ~90% of pilots already vaccinated.
2. ~80% of FAs already vaccinated.
3. Kirby has written dozens of condolence letters to families of employees who have died from Covid.
4. Those not complying will be terminated.
WSJ
https://archive.is/9ZELK
Marketwatch
https://on.mktw.net/37vmCBv
CNBC
cnb.cx/3Asmtvo
United Airlines to Require All U.S. Employees to Get Covid-19 Vaccines. WSJ.
1. ~90% of pilots already vaccinated.
2. ~80% of FAs already vaccinated.
3. Kirby has written dozens of condolence letters to families of employees who have died from Covid.
4. Those not complying will be terminated.
WSJ
https://archive.is/9ZELK
Marketwatch
https://on.mktw.net/37vmCBv
CNBC
cnb.cx/3Asmtvo
Last edited by spartacusmcfly; Aug 23, 2021 at 8:35 am
Aug 6, 2021, 6:56 am
#2
Join Date: Jan 2012
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Kudos to UA for following the science: the pandemic ends through vaccination. I'm not flying on any airline that doesn't follow United's lead and require vaccination. Next should be a requirement that all passengers be vaccinated.
Aug 6, 2021, 7:20 am
#3
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August 6, 2021 - United Airlines Inc on Friday became the latest company to require all its U.S.-based employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
The airline said employees would need to show proof of vaccination, five weeks after the U.S. drug regulator fully approved any of Pfizer Inc, Moderna Inc or Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine or by October 25, whichever was earlier.
I always thought this would await the FDA "full approval", and am surprised but also good with the "whichever is earlier" language. BTW, there's a carrot as well for UA employees ...
Employees who get vaccinated before September 20 and those that have already received their shots will get an additional day of pay. The executives said they are aware some employees will disagree, but added that the mandate was issued to make the workplace safer.
The airline said employees would need to show proof of vaccination, five weeks after the U.S. drug regulator fully approved any of Pfizer Inc, Moderna Inc or Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine or by October 25, whichever was earlier.
I always thought this would await the FDA "full approval", and am surprised but also good with the "whichever is earlier" language. BTW, there's a carrot as well for UA employees ...
Employees who get vaccinated before September 20 and those that have already received their shots will get an additional day of pay. The executives said they are aware some employees will disagree, but added that the mandate was issued to make the workplace safer.
Last edited by SPN Lifer; Aug 6, 2021 at 7:52 am
Aug 6, 2021, 7:42 am
#4
Join Date: Nov 2014
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Excited to see this and will be booking UA exclusively until someone else follows their lead. Now, do passengers
Last edited by N104UA; Aug 6, 2021 at 9:19 am
Aug 6, 2021, 7:45 am
#5
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This is an industry leading move!
Aug 6, 2021, 7:48 am
#6
Join Date: Aug 2014
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Except United doesn't seem to know anything about the different vaccines. I uploaded my info regarding my J&J vaccine and United says I need to delete and reload my info because my record doesn't show a second shot.
IT'S A ONE SHOT VACCINE!
IT'S A ONE SHOT VACCINE!
Aug 6, 2021, 7:53 am
#7
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“We are here primarily for your safety” - way to back that up. Please do the same requirements for passengers. Then we can end some of the theater that results in plastic ramekins, wrapped rocks posing as bread etc.
Aug 6, 2021, 8:00 am
#8
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Aug 6, 2021, 8:00 am
#9
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Good Morning All,
To state the obvious, the current climate surrounding the pandemic elicits a wide range of [strong] opinions from multiple viewpoints. For purposes of this thread, and as it is on the United sub forum here, please focus discussion on the impacts to UA and the UA operation.
For discussions beyond this, please make use of the appropriate forum in Flyertalk.
Safe Travels,
J.Edward
UA co-moderator
To state the obvious, the current climate surrounding the pandemic elicits a wide range of [strong] opinions from multiple viewpoints. For purposes of this thread, and as it is on the United sub forum here, please focus discussion on the impacts to UA and the UA operation.
For discussions beyond this, please make use of the appropriate forum in Flyertalk.
Safe Travels,
J.Edward
UA co-moderator
Aug 6, 2021, 8:01 am
#10
Join Date: Jan 2005
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Posts: 2,878
Glad to see an airline get fully on board with the vaccine program.
Last edited by J.Edward; Aug 8, 2021 at 11:26 am Reason: Removed quote of deleted post.
Aug 6, 2021, 8:15 am
#12
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I wonder if this move is step one of a three step process.
1. Employees
2. Passengers
3. Masks - Kirby was on face the nation recently and said, "... The federal mask mandate expires September 13th, fingers crossed..." Although, that comment was before the recent mask guidance.
Regardless, if the US is reopening, with a vaccination requirement, I could see the EU & Asia quickly reciprocating, at which point it would be the 'sleeves off Kirby's vest' to require passenger vaccination -- at least on int'l travel.
1. Employees
2. Passengers
3. Masks - Kirby was on face the nation recently and said, "... The federal mask mandate expires September 13th, fingers crossed..." Although, that comment was before the recent mask guidance.
Regardless, if the US is reopening, with a vaccination requirement, I could see the EU & Asia quickly reciprocating, at which point it would be the 'sleeves off Kirby's vest' to require passenger vaccination -- at least on int'l travel.
Aug 6, 2021, 8:17 am
#13
Join Date: Jun 2014
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There are exceptions to everything. Has UA outlined what those are (presuming they exist) for certain employees to avoid termination?
Aug 6, 2021, 8:24 am
#14
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Aug 6, 2021, 8:32 am
#15
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From the WSJ article linked above:
“The three Covid-19 vaccines available in the U.S. are only approved for emergency use to protect against severe disease and hospitalization from Covid-19. Some corporate executives have worried about mandating vaccines without full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Delta Chief Executive Ed Bastian in a recent CNBC interview said the lack of full approval makes it more difficult to mandate vaccination. Delta has said over 70% of its employees are vaccinated.”
Setting aside the efficacy of vaccine program, I wonder if UA - or any other employer - is opening the door to massive liability by doing so (and yes, I also get they could be opening the door to massive liability by not doing so as well), and can UA even legally require it in the first place?
(My question comes from another post and boils down to three reasons - see below if you want the details)
1. Federal law of which UA is subject to prohibits any mandate of emergency-use-authorization-only vaccines [EUAVs]. Subsection bbb-3(e)(1)(A)(ii)(III) of section 360 of Title 21 of the United States Code, otherwise known as the Emergency Use Authorization section of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, demands that everyone give employees the “option to accept or refuse administration” of EUAVs. This right to refuse EUAVs, implements the internationally agreed legal requirement of Informed Consent established in the Nuremberg Code of 1947. ( The Nuremberg Code ).
As the Nuremberg Code established, every person must “be able to exercise free power of choice, without the intervention of any element of force, fraud, deceit, duress, overreaching, or other ulterior form of constraint or coercion; and should have sufficient knowledge and comprehension of the elements of the subject matter involved as to enable him to make an understanding and enlightened decision” for any medical experimental drug, such as an EUAV. The Nuremberg Code prohibited even the military from requiring such experimental vaccines. (Doe #1 v. Rumsfeld, 297 F.Supp.2d 119 (D.D.C. 2003).
2. Demanding employees divulge their personal medical information invades their protected right to privacy, and discriminates against them based on their perceived medical status, in contravention of the Americans with Disabilities Act. (42 USC §12112(a).)
3. Conditioning continued employment upon participating in a EUAV and demanding disclosure of private, personal medical information, may also create employer liability under other federal and state laws, including HIPAA, FMLA, and applicable state tort law principles, including torts prohibiting and proscribing invasions of privacy and battery. Indeed, any employer mandating a vaccine is liable to their employee for any adverse event suffered by that employee. ( https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus/faqs#vaccine ).
Last edited by J.Edward; Aug 6, 2021 at 8:53 am Reason: Add WSJ quote