Southwest mandates COVID-19 vaccination for employees

Southwest Airlines will require employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Dec. 8 or receive a medical or religious exemption in compliance with new rules for federal contractors, joining United, American, Alaska, Hawaiian and JetBlue in requiring vaccines. “Southwest Airlines must join our industry peers in complying with the federal government’s COVID-19 vaccination directive,” said CEO Gary Kelly, encouraging employees to comply “as quickly as possible” to “ensure job security for all.”