IBM and American Airlines have informed their U.S. employees that they must get fully vaccinated or risk being suspended or fired. IBM said those that aren't fully vaccinated by Dec. 8 will be placed on unpaid leaves, while American Airlines said workers still unvaccinated by Nov. 24 will be fired from the company.
As a federal contractor, IBM said it is required by law to ensure that its employees are fully vaccinated. The company noted that the decision is in compliance with U.S. President Joe Biden's recent vaccination mandate for all government contractors.
American Airlines also issued the same explanation citing Biden's mandate. The company said the order will apply to all of its U.S. workers and some international flight crew members. The company said it had already sent out a notice to employees informing them of the Nov. 24 deadline and the consequences of violating the order.
American Airlines CEO Doug Parker previously said that he was in favor of offering employees incentives to get vaccinated instead of an outright order. However, Biden's mandate has changed those plans, he added. Parker said that with the mandate, employees who choose not to get vaccinated will not be able to work at the company.
"This is in line with the policies of many of our clients and partners and consistent with President Biden's recent Executive Order for Federal contractors," American Airlines said.
Unlike United Airlines, IBM stopped short of threatening to fire its workers who will not meet the vaccination deadline. Instead, the company has opted to withhold pay to unvaccinated employees by placing them under unpaid suspensions.
IBM said it had already sent an internal memo to employees about the new order. Employees who fail to present proof of vaccination on or before the deadline will be placed on an unpaid leave of absence starting on Dec. 9.
IBM said those who are removed from the payroll due to not getting their vaccinations will still be eligible for the company's 401K matching program. A spokesperson for IBM confirmed that the company will allow some employees to be exempt from the requirement for religious or medical reasons.
