Delta Air Lines will force unvaccinated employees to pay health care surcharge

Although the airline stopped short of requiring vaccination for its employees, the Delta policy marks a new step for major U.S. employers by enforcing a penalty for the unvaccinated. But it’s not without risks, including with unions.

The Airline Pilots Association’s Delta Master Executive Council, which represents nearly 13,000 pilots at the airline, almost immediately voiced concerns about the surcharge requirement for unvaccinated employees, saying in a statement that it has advocated “to maintain the right of each individual pilot to consult with his or her medical provider regarding COVID-19 vaccinations or booster doses.” It went on to say that Delta needs to “bargain with the Delta MEC over any employer-mandated vaccination for pilots.”

Other steps announced Wednesday by Bastian include a mask requirement for all employees in indoor settings and an end to Covid-19 pay protections for unvaccinated Delta staffers. Unvaccinated employees will also be required to undergo weekly Covid-19 tests.

The announcement from Delta comes days after the FDA officially approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Since then, the Biden administration has strongly encouraged businesses and organizations in the private sector to set vaccine mandates for its employees. Companies including United Airlines, Walmart and Disney have issued vaccine mandates for employees even before FDA gave its official approval.

Vaccine mandates are popular with a majority of voters, according to a Morning Consult/POLITICO poll.