Alaska Airlines to require all new hires to be vaccinated
Alaska Airlines announced it would require all new hires to be vaccinated for Covid-19, among other measures it is taking to encourage vaccination among its workforce.
The SeaTac-based airline stopped short of mandating the vaccine for existing employees, but included new layers of testing and enforcement, as well as a $200 bonus for vaccinated employees. Around 75% of its staff who have shared their vaccination status are vaccinated, the company said.
“Throughout the pandemic, the safety of our employees and guests has always come first, and we are committed to protecting our fellow employees, guests and loved ones from the impacts of the COVID-19 virus,” Alaska said in a news release. “We believe having as many people as possible vaccinated is the is best path for protection against Covid-19 and we will continue to strongly encourage our employees to be vaccinated.”
The airline previously said it would not make the vaccine a requirement until it received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine received full FDA approval Aug. 23 and Moderna submitted its application to the agency Aug. 25.
https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2021/09/02/alaska-releases-new-vaccine-policy.html