The coronavirus pandemic has killed about 769,000 Americans so far, including about 61,000 in Florida. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends vaccination against COVID-19 for everyone ages 5 and up, and on Friday endorsed booster shots for everyone age 18 and older. “Vaccines, regardless if they’re mandated or not, are the best way for workers to protect themselves against this virus,” he said. Disney has paused its vaccine mandate for Florida employees in response. He said Disney told workers it would require unvaccinated cast members to wear protective gear, including N-95 masks and face shields, while on shift as part of the updated safety protocol for these workers, a change he was “disappointed” with.įinger said not every unvaccinated employee would be required to wear N-95 masks or face shields as that would depend upon a worker’s specific duties.Įric Clinton, president of the union that represents Disney workers in roles like attractions, custodial and vacation planning, reiterated the union’s positive stance toward required vaccination. A statue of Walt Disney with Mickey Mouse outside the entrance to Cinderella’s Castle at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. “It feels really good, like a victory and more than that, it’s just that we’re preserving our jobs,” he said. Nick Caturano, a longtime Disney employee who has vocally opposed Disney’s vaccine mandate, said employees received the memo around 2 p.m. The law also requires employers to allow religious or medical exemptions under vaccine mandates, something Disney already included in its requirements.ĭisney spokeswoman Andrea Finger told the Orlando Sentinel on Saturday the company will “address legal developments as appropriate” in response to the legislation. Ron DeSantis signed Thursday aimed at limiting employers’ abilities to carry out vaccine mandates, employers must allow workers who agree to regular testing and wearing protective gear to be exempt from required vaccination, along with employees who have recovered from COVID-19. 22 to be fully vaccinated and provide proof of vaccination to Disney. Unionized workers, who reached a deal with the company nearly a month afterward, had until Oct. 28 to complete their COVID vaccine course.
#Disney pauses vaccine mandate verification
The company also is pausing consideration of vaccine exemption requests from employees and will deem employees who had not yet finished the vaccination verification process unvaccinated for the time being.Įarlier this year, the company gave non-union workers until Sept. The memo said Disney, Central Florida’s largest single-site employer, will require all employees who had not verified they were fully vaccinated to wear face coverings and observe social distancing, among other safety protocols.
0 kommentar(er)
