Walt Disney Company makes COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for US employees

Joining a list of major companies that have mandated vaccination for their staffers, the Walt Disney Company announced on Friday that they will be requiring their salaried and non-union employees in the United States to get jabbed before returning to work.

Employees who aren’t already vaccinated and are working on-site will have 60 days to get the jab, the company said.

Talks with the unions about the requirement are underway.

“At The Walt Disney Company, the safety and well-being of our employees during the pandemic has been and continues to be a top priority. Toward that end, and based on the latest recommendations of scientists, health officials and our own medical professionals that the COVID-19 vaccine provides the best protection against severe infection, we are requiring that all salaried and non-union hourly employees in the U.S. working at any of our sites be fully vaccinated.” the company said in a statement, according to a Variety report.

Meanwhile, the company also announced that even all the new recruits will have to be fully vaccinated before they start employment. Proof of vaccination will be required. “Vaccines are the best tool we all have to help control this global pandemic and protect our employees,” the company further added.

As the Delta variant of COVID-19 spreads its wings across the United States, major companies are turning towards making vaccinations mandatory.  Earlier this week, Netflix announced, those working in Zone A of productions – performers and those who work in close proximity to them — must be vaccinated.

Similar steps have been announced by companies such as Google and Facebook for their staff. Disney is the latest to join the group.

Previously, Hollywood’s major unions and studios had announced that companies have the right to impose vaccine mandates on any of those working in Zone A of productions under revised return-to-work rules.