Boeing halts vaccine mandates for US workers

Boeing announced Friday that it will suspend the company’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for U.S. employees.

The aircraft manufacturer said in an internal memo that it made the decision after a federal appeals court last month upheld its stay on President Biden’s vaccine mandate for companies with at least 100 employees, Reuters reported.

The number of Boeing employees who have sought a vaccine exemption for medical or religious reasons has surged to more than 11,000 people, which is around 8 percent of its U.S. workers, according to Reuters. The company’s vaccine mandate has also resulted in the other 92 percent of their employees in the U.S. having received the vaccine or having reported a religious or medical accommodation.

“The success of Boeing’s vaccination requirement to date positions the company well to comply with the federal executive order should it be reinstated in the future,” the company’s internal memo said, Reuters reported.

A Boeing spokesperson told the news outlet that the company is “committed to maintaining a safe working environment for our employees, and advancing the health and safety of our global workforce.” The spokesperson also confirmed that Boeing chose to suspend its vaccine requirement due to the federal appeals court’s decision.

Boeing’s decision follows Amtrak and other major U.S. companies that have also removed their vaccine requirements for workers.