American Airlines Ends COVID-19 Leave Pay for Unvaccinated Staff

American Airlines (AAL) – Get American Airlines Group, Inc. Report has joined other air carriers in encouraging unvaccinated employees to get the shot by only offering COVID-19 pandemic leave pay to workers who are vaccinated and provide a vaccine card as proof.

Beginning Oct. 1, unvaccinated employees who contract COVID-19 will have to use their company sick time or medical leave if they miss work because of the virus, the company told employees in a memo Friday, according to Reuters.

Alaska Air (ALK) – Get Alaska Air Group, Inc. Report on Friday also said that it had ended special pay for unvaccinated employees who are absent because of COVID-19 infection or exposure to a COVID-19 positive person.

As an incentive to vaccinate, Alaska will pay employees $200 for proof of vaccination by Oct. 15. It will also require all new employees to be vaccinated.

Delta Air Lines (DAL) – Get Delta Air Lines, Inc. Report CEO Ed Bastian on Aug. 25 revealed several new COVID-19 policies on the company website, including a $200 monthly healthcare plan surcharge for unvaccinated employees beginning Nov. 1. Also beginning Sept. 30, company COVID-19 pay protection would only be provided to fully vaccinated individuals who are experiencing a breakthrough infection.

Starting Sept. 12, unvaccinated U.S. Delta employees will be required to take a COVID-19 test each week while community case rates are high. Those testing positive would be required to isolate and remain out of the workplace. All unvaccinated Delta employees are required to wear masks in all Delta indoor settings until community case rates stabilize.