The Biden Administration has pushed back the mandated deadline for federal contractors - including virtually all major domestic airlines - to have all employees vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus.
Instead of the original deadline of December 8, or barely a month away, the White House's new mandate calls for vaccinations to be completed by January 4, 2022, according to Business Insider.
It is a critical decision, especially for the airlines. With the holiday peak period looming, and with staffing shortages just one reason why American and Southwest airlines have both had massive multi-day cancellations and delays so far this year, the airlines could ill afford to be further short-handed between Thanksgiving and New Year's.
Add in international visitors expected back in droves when restrictions are lifted on November 8, and the situation could have been chaotic.
Now, airline employees who have still not been vaccinated or who have requested a medical or religious exemption will have until after the new year to comply.
If they comply.
American and Southwest have already said they would not fire unvaccinated workers despite the federal mandate.
"We're not going to fire anybody who doesn't get vaccinated," CEO Gary Kelly said during the company's third-quarter earnings call last month. "How we work through the people that don't get vaccinated or don't seek an accommodation, we're going to have to figure out and we're working with the government on that. It makes no sense that we would not respect that and find some way to work with our people on that."
But employment lawyers told Business Insider that companies could risk landing lucrative government contracts going forward if they fail to comply with the mandate.
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