Walt Disney to Require U.S. Employees to be Vaccinated

By Maria Armental

Walt Disney Co. on Friday said it would require employees in the U.S. to be fully vaccinated at all its sites to help curb the spread of the coronavirus.

The mandate would initially apply to salaried and non-union hourly employees in the U.S. working at any of its sites, but the company said it had begun conversations with labor unions. In addition, all new hires would be required to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 before beginning employment, the company said.

Those who aren't vaccinated and are working on-site would have two months to complete the vaccination protocol, the company said, adding that those who are working remotely will need to provide proof of vaccination before returning.

The company said there would be "certain limited exceptions," though it didn't elaborate on what would qualify.

Typically, exceptions have been granted on a case-by-case basis, for example, on medical grounds.

As of April 3, Disney had about 170,000 employees worldwide, according to a securities filing.

Write to Maria Armental at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 30, 2021 17:25 ET (21:25 GMT)

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