TYSON FOODS, MICROSOFT TO REQUIRE VACCINATION FOR US WORKERS

Tyson Foods will require all of its U.S. employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19, becoming one of the first major employers of front-line workers to do so amid a resurgence of the virus.

Microsoft also announced this week that it will require proof of vaccination for all employees, vendors, and visitors to its U.S. offices starting in September, following similar actions recently taken by Google and Facebook. Microsoft also postponed its planned return to the workplace from September to no earlier than Oct. 4, although it will allow flexibility for some employees to continue working from home, including parents of children who are not eligible for vaccines.

While vaccination mandates have gained traction among employers, many of the companies adopting them have workforces that can transition to remote locations easily.

Many companies that rely on large low-income workforces have far largely declined to mandate vaccines for their front-line workers, making Tyson’s announcement significant.

One of the world’s largest food companies, Tyson said that members of its leadership team must be vaccinated by Sept. 24 and the rest of its office workers by Oct. 1. Its front-line workers must be vaccinated by Nov. 1, although the company said the specifics were being negotiated with unions.

Just under half of its U.S. workforce — about 56,000 employees — have been vaccinated after the company staged more than 100 vaccination events since February, it said. The Springfield, Arkansas, company plans to continue with those events and offer a $200 bonus for all front-line workers who receive a vaccine.