Starbucks explains how it will enforce the federal workplace vaccine mandate
In compliance with the impending federal workplace vaccine mandate, Starbucks (Nasdaq: SBUX) baristas have until Jan. 10 to verify their vaccination status, and unvaccinated staff will undergo weekly testing starting Feb. 9, and pay for it, the company said in a letter to staff last week.
The announcement makes Starbucks one of the country's first major employers to outline how it'll follow the Biden administration's workplace vaccine mandate. Starbucks employs about 14,000 workers in Washington state and 400,000 companywide, according to Business Journal research.
"I recognize that partners have a wide spectrum of views on vaccinations, much like the rest of the country," Chief Operating Officer John Culver said in his letter to staff. "I also know we all want the best for every Starbucks partner. My responsibility, and that of every leader, is to do whatever we can to help keep you safe and to create the safest work environment possible."
The new rule from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires employers with 100 or more workers to verify employees' vaccination statuses and regularly test unvaccinated staff. Legal challenges shelved the order until mid-December, when it was reinstated by a panel of federal judges. Now, it's headed for the U.S. Supreme Court.
https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2022/01/03/starbucks-to-enforce-vaccine-mandate.html
