The Fort Worth, Texas-based airline confirmed to employees Tuesday that they can continue to work if they are granted an exemption or if their exemption requests are still being reviewed. "They failed to offer any specifics as to what such accommodations might look like at that time."
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Some employees sued the company over the unpaid leave, and a federal judge in Fort Worth, Texas, has temporarily blocked the airline from going forward with its plan.Īmerican's CEO, Doug Parker, spoke with labor union leaders on Thursday to discuss vaccine exemptions.Īmerican Airlines management "indicated that, unlike the approach taken by United, they were exploring accommodations that would allow employees to continue to work," the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, the union that represents American's mainline cabin crews, said in a note to members Monday. More than 96% of its staff is vaccinated. United had told staff that they would be put on unpaid leave if they received exemptions. United Airlines implemented its own vaccine mandate in August, a month before the government rules were announced. Southwest confirmed the policy change, which comes just weeks before the deadline. 8, they could continue to work while following mask and distancing guidelines until the request has been reviewed. Southwest's senior vice president of operations and hospitality, Steve Goldberg, and Julie Weber, vice president and chief people officer, wrote to staff on Friday that if employees' requests for an exemption haven't been approved by Dec. Pilots' labor unions have sought to block the mandates or sought alternatives such as regular testing.
The airlines are expected to face more questions about the mandate when they report quarterly results Thursday morning.
Rules for federal contractors are stricter than those expected from the Biden administration for large companies, which will allow for regular Covid testing as an alternative to a vaccination.Įxecutives at both carriers in recent days have tried to reassure employees about job security under the mandate, urging them to apply for exemptions if they can't get vaccinated for a medical reason or for a sincerely held religious belief.
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