United Airlines To Allow Unvaccinated Employees To Return To Work March 28

WASHINGTON, March 10 – United Airlines said Thursday it would allow unvaccinated employees to return to their jobs starting March 28 and asked a federal appeals court to dismiss the lawsuit against the COVID-19 mandate as moot.

The Chicago-based U.S. airline said in a memo that about 2,200 employees received reasonable vaccination-related benefits after it became the first major U.S. airline to mandate employee vaccinations.

“We plan to return those employees who have been approved (placed) to their regular positions, starting March 28,” the memorandum says.

On Thursday, United told a federal appeals court that the new policy was “driven by significant changes in the scope and severity of the pandemic, as well as guidance from public health authorities.”

United said the change applies to all employees who have been placed on temporary unpaid leave, as well as those who have been temporarily transferred to other jobs.

United CEO Scott Kirby said in December that of the company’s 67,000 employees, about 200 failed to fulfill United’s mandate and were fired. A United spokesman said the airline has no plans to rehire these employees.

The memo notes a sharp drop in the number of COVID-19 cases in the United States and that the CDC has recently relaxed its mask-wearing rules.

The memo added: “Of course, if another option comes up or OVID trends suddenly change, we will review the relevant security protocols at that time.

Last month, a US appeals court ordered a review of a lower court’s decision not to bar United from enforcing its mandate to vaccinate employees. On Thursday, United said the issue was now irrelevant.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit ruled 2-1 to remand the case to the U.S. District Judge, who denied the request for an injunction to block the mandate while employees make their case against him.

In strong dissent, Judge Jerry E. Smith said that “for every conceivable reason (staff) could lose this appeal, they should.”

Kirby defended the staff mandate in December: “We did it for safety. We believe it has saved lives.”

Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Jonathan Oatis

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