American Airlines Halts Covid-19 Leave for Unvaccinated Employees As of Oct. 1, any unvaccinated employee who needs to miss work because of the virus will need to use earned sick days or medical leave.

By Entrepreneur Staff

Joe Raedle | Getty Images

American Airlines is the latest airline to incentivize Covid-19 vaccination among employees by leveraging benefits.

In a memo to staff last week, the company said "pandemic leave will only be offered to team members who are fully vaccinated and who provide their vaccination card" following the Fodd and Drug Administration's full approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, per Fox Business.

That means that as of Oct. 1, any unvaccinated employee who needs to miss work because of the virus will need to use earned sick days or medical leave.

Related: American Airlines Will Cancel Hundreds of Flights Due to Staffing Shortages

The early October deadline gives unvaccinated staffers enough time to get both doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine or the Moderna vaccine, which require shots spaced apart by two weeks.

The memo Fox Business obtained said, "We have heard from many team members that the full approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gives them additional peace of mind when they were previously hesitant to get vaccinated."

Last month, Delta Airlines announced that unvaccinated employees will face penalties, including a $200 monthly fee.

Starting Sept. 12, American employees who aren't vaccinated will be required to take a weekly Covid test as long as community case rates are high. Anyone with a positive test will be required to isolate and stay home from work.

The surcharge goes into effect Nov. 1 for any unvaccinated employee enrolled in Delta's account-based healthcare plan.

The company said such a charge is "necessary to address the financial risk the decision to note vaccinate is creating" for Delta, given the average Covid-19 hospital stay costs the airline $50,000.

Entrepreneur Staff

Entrepreneur Staff

Editor

Editor's Pick

Related Topics

Business News

Costco Is Now Offering an Additional Exclusive Perk to Members in All 50 States

Members can now access discounted outpatient medical care through a partnership with healthcare startup Sesame.

Business News

Why This OnlyFans Star Is Walking Away from Making Millions a Month. 'Success Does Not Bring Self-Love.'

Malaysian model MSPUIYI has millions of followers, but she's quitting to pursue her dream.

Business News

8 People Hospitalized on JetBlue Flight Headed to Florida Due to Turbulence

The turbulent conditions occurred near Jamaica on a flight coming from Ecuador.

Business News

Dads Who Do This Simple Activity With Their Kids for 10 Minutes a Day Are More Likely to Raise High Achievers

The straightforward approach can give children an advantage over their peers.

Branding

Don't Be a Boring Brand – How to Create Brand Distinction That Has Everyone Turning Their Heads

In the minds of most consumers, you're selling commodities — unless you've created a brand distinction. This article will show you how to craft a brand that's not just known but unforgettable.

Business News

ChatGPT Will Soon Be Able to Speak, Listen and Have Instant Conversations

Open AI announced updates to the AI technology arriving in the next two weeks.