Korona - USA ser ut til å følge føderalt mandat i stedet for statsguvernører - Curt Lewis

 

Rebuffing Texas governor, American Airlines, Southwest stand by vaccine mandate   CHICAGO (Reuters) - Rebuffing the Texas governor, American Airlines and Southwest Airlines said on Tuesday they would comply with U.S. President Joe Biden's executive order to require that their employees be vaccinated for COVID-19 by a Dec. 8 deadline. The two Texas-based carriers said the federal mandate superseded an order by Republican Governor Greg Abbott barring https://www.reuters.com/world/us/texas-governor-bars-all-vaccine-mandates-state-2021-10-11 COVID-19 vaccine mandates by any entity, including private employers. Southwest said it "would be expected to comply with the President's Order to remain compliant as a federal contractor." American said while it was reviewing Abbott's executive order, "this does not change anything" for the company. Both carriers have asked U.S.-based employees to submit proof of vaccination by Nov. 24. Biden issued his mandate last month as his administration struggled to control the pandemic, which has killed more than 700,000 Americans. It covers all federal contractors. While supporters of vaccine mandates see them as necessary to pull the country out of the nearly two-year-old pandemic, critics are calling them unconstitutional and authoritarian. Six employees of United Airlines, which became the first U.S. carrier in August to require vaccinations for all domestic employees, have filed a class action in federal court in Texas claiming that workers who sought exemptions from the vaccine mandate were subjected to intrusive inquiries about their medical conditions or religious beliefs, including a requirement that they obtain letters from pastors. The court, which is due to hear the case on Wednesday, issued an order on Tuesday restraining the airline until Oct. 26 from placing on unpaid leave any employee who receives religious or medical exemptions from the company for COVID-19 vaccinations. The court also temporarily restrained United from denying any late requests for religious or medical accommodations. In his executive order, Abbott said the Biden administration was "bullying" many private entities into imposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates, causing workforce disruptions. In its response, the White House said on Tuesday that Abbott's order was out of step with businesses in the state. Press secretary Jen Psaki said the governor's decision was motivated by politics, not science.

 

 

Boeing requires Covid-19 vaccinations for employees by Dec. 8 federal deadline   The Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) is now requiring most of its U.S.-based employees to get vaccinated against Covid-19 by Dec. 8 or face losing their jobs. The jet maker announced the policy in a presentation to its workforce Oct. 11. The move follows an executive order by President Joe Biden last month requiring vaccinations for large private employers and federal contractors. Boeing has nearly 57,000 employees in Washington and 141,000 nationally, according to Business Journal research. Employees can obtain exemptions based on disability or religious accommodations, but must undergo regular testing for the coronavirus if they're not fully vaccinated, the company said in the presentation. That gives employees just two weeks to receive their first dose of the Moderna vaccine, three weeks to begin vaccination with the two-dose Pfizer shot or until Nov. 24 to receive the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. “Employees who are unable to meet these requirements, and do not have an approved accommodation, by Dec. 8 may be released from the company,” Boeing wrote. Antibody tests or prior infection do not qualify employees for exemption, it added. Boeing’s engineers union, the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA), said it is working with Boeing and other employers to ensure the rollout of the new policy meets the terms of employees’ contracts and urged its members to get the vaccine. “We are encouraged that the vast majority of members we are hearing from are vaccinated and following health professionals’ recommendations to wear a face mask, wash hands frequently and practice social distancing,” SPEEA said in an email statement. The union currently represents around 17,000 engineers, technical workers, pilots and other employees at Boeing, Spirit AeroSystems and Triumph Composite Systems in Washington, Oregon, Kansas and a handful of other states. Airlines have also made moves to require Covid-19 vaccinations among their workforce. Alaska Air Group announced Oct. 1 that it would require all of its employees and some contractors to be vaccinated. Southwest Airlines and American Airlines, both based in Texas, will also require workers vaccinations, despite an executive order by Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday banning such mandates. “Boeing will continue to carefully monitor guidance from public health agencies, and requirements from federal, state and local governments to inform our COVID-19 policies,” a Boeing spokesperson said in an email statement. “We continue to prioritize the health and safety of all of our employees.” As of Oct. 11, more than 77% of eligible Washington residents had received their first dose of the vaccine, according to the state Department of Health.