Ford issues vaccine mandate for salaried workers

Sens. Blackburn and Braun hold press conference on overturning Biden’s vaccine mandate on private employees

Sens. Blackburn and Braun hold press conference on overturning Biden’s vaccine mandate on private employees

Ford Motor Co. informed its salaried U.S. employees this week that they must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Dec. 8, and those without approved medical or religious exemptions who are non-compliant will be placed on unpaid leave.

The automaker has been mulling over the decision for months, but just notified workers on Tuesday.

Ford sign at Ford dealership in Knoxville, TN (iStock / iStock)

"The health and safety of our workforce remains our top priority and we have been very encouraged by the support of our employees to comply with our protocols, including the more than 84-percent of U.S. salaried employees who are already vaccinated," a Ford spokesperson said in a statement to FOX Business, noting that the deadline "also aligns with federal contractor guidelines."

Ford joins a host of other major firms that have put in place vaccine mandates following the Biden administration's decree that all federal contractors have fully vaccinated work forces by Dec. 8. 

Ford employee works an assembly line.  (Ford)

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Ford's mandate for salaried employees impacts roughly 31,000 people, but the company's 57,000 hourly workers in the U.S. can expect forthcoming vaccine and testing requirements pushed by the feds, too.

On Sept. 9, President Biden announced that he asked the Occupational Safety and Health Administration under the Department of Labor to draft a regulation requiring businesses with more than 100 employees to force workers to get fully vaccinated or submit to weekly coronavirus tests. 

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – NOVEMBER 02: US President Joe Biden speaks during an Action on Forests and Land Use event on day three of COP26 on November 02, 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (Getty Images)

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"The majority of the U.S. hourly workforce (UAW) will be included under the OSHA-ETS guidelines which have yet to be released and is subject to bargaining with the UAW," the Ford spokesperson said, adding, "How the OSHA requirements will apply is currently being reviewed and discussed with union leadership."

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