Get jabbed before you lose the job

Several of the United States' largest companies are mandating that employees get a COVID-19 vaccination before they head back to the office or face the threat of being fired.

The push for vaccination is happening across key sectors, including the media, airlines, finance, technology, healthcare, the military, food production, ride-share companies, states and universities.

CNN fired three staff members in August who went into the news company's office unvaccinated.

"Let me be clear, we have a zero-tolerance policy on this. Everyone from news, sports and studios who comes in now and going forward must be vaccinated," wrote CNN Chairman Jeff Zucker in a memo to employees.

The Washington Post said on July 27 that when workers start to return to the office in September, all employees must show that they are vaccinated against the coronavirus as a condition of employment.

In Washington state, Governor Jay Inslee announced on Aug 9 that most state employees and all healthcare workers must be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus by Oct 18 or face the sack.

The Los Angeles County Superior Court, the nation's largest trial court system, told employees that they must be vaccinated as a condition of employment no later than 45 days after the Food and Drug Administration gives final approval to at least one COVID-19 vaccine. Only those with religious or health reasons are exempt.

"Ultimately, unvaccinated employees without an approved exclusion will be subject to termination," wrote top executive Sherri Carter in a letter to the court's 5,000 staff members.

Around 117 former workers at Houston Methodist Hospital in Texas are appealing a decision by a judge that the hospital had the right to fire staff for refusing to get vaccinated.

Vaccine requirement

At least 153 staff members were fired or had resigned for refusing the vaccines. The hospital system has nearly 25,000 employees across the state and became one of the first employers in the country in April to require COVID-19 vaccinations.

The Pentagon said members of the US military will be required to get a COVID-19 vaccine starting September. The move is supported by President Joe Biden. Any service member who refuses can be punished under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

However, Marc Perrone, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, representing 1.3 million supermarket workers and meatpacking employees, said he would not support employer mandates until the FDA gives the vaccines full approval.

Employers are legally allowed to ask employees to get vaccinated, according to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. It states that exemptions can only be made for those who have medical or religious reasons to opt out.

In the technology sector, giants Google, Facebook and Microsoft have also said that employees must have taken a COVID-19 shot before they can gain access to their offices.

But a large swath of US citizens are unvaccinated for personal, health, cultural or religious reasons.