Vaccine Mandate Alerts and Updates

The Federal government has implemented two COVID-19 vaccine mandates, one for any business that has Federal contracts and one for any business with more than 100 employees. American Airlines will follow the federal mandate, which requires employees of American mainline, Piedmont, and Envoy to be vaccinated.

CWA Director of Passenger Service, Marge Krueger, recently shared key alerts and updates to vaccine mandate policies and procedures:

• Members should be sure to upload their COVID-19 vaccine recordsbefore Wednesday, November 24, 2021. Even if you previously uploaded information when applying for an incentive from the company for paid time off and points, you must still upload your records again to another database associated with the QR code in the image above. Full instructions are available on JetNet.
• On or about December 8, 2021, if a member has not registered their compliance with the mandate, their manager will meet with them and their union representative to discuss the vaccine policy and offer assistance with a request for accommodation.
• The member will have some time to think about the conversation. If they still do not comply, there will be a follow-up meeting. The company will adhere to our contract when determining what course of action to take if members do not request an accommodation and do not get vaccinated. The company is not interested in terminating anyone.
• Envoy and Piedmont have determined that when OSHA guidelines are released by the federal government, they will apply to Envoy and Piedmont employees. As soon as a more detailed plan is released for Envoy and Piedmont we will send information out to members and request any legal remedies we can.

About Accommodations to the Mandate

Employees have until November 24 to register their compliance with the vaccine mandate and may apply for an accommodation if they believe they cannot be vaccinated because of a legitimate medical reason or deeply held religious beliefs. A form to apply for accommodations is available on Jetnet. 

The company will review applications for accommodation on a case-by-case basis. If a member is denied an accommodation, time will be available to provide more information and re-apply.

Accommodations may look different for different members. For example, an accommodation for a CSA working at the airport may be different from one for a home-based res agent. The CSA may have to wear an N-95 mask and test regularly. A home-based res agent may be able to work from home and not go into the office for any reason. These are just hypothetical scenarios, not specific accommodations.

CWA has requested meetings with management to discuss the issue because it is a change in status quo benefits and terms and conditions of employment. Rest assured, our union will fight to ensure that all members with legitimate medical reasons and/or deeply held religious beliefs have the right to an accommodation, which will allow them to work.

This situation is evolving. We are monitoring the policy and evaluating the legal remedies that may be available to members.