Tyson Foods is requiring its entire U.S. workforce to become vaccinated by November 1, 2021, subject to ongoing discussions with locations represented by unions. U.S. office location employees are required to be fully vaccinated by October 1, 2021, with all others required to be vaccinated by the November 1 deadline.
This action makes Tyson Foods the largest U.S. food company to require COVID-19 vaccinations for its entire workforce. Almost half of Tyson Foods’ U.S. workforce has been vaccinated and coronavirus infection rates among team members remain low.
“Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is the single most effective thing we can do to protect our team members, their families and their communities,” said Dr. Claudia Coplein, chief medical officer, Tyson Foods, in a statement. “With rapidly rising COVID-19 case counts of contagious, dangerous variants leading to increasing rates of severe illness and hospitalization among the U.S. unvaccinated population, this is the right time to take the next step to ensure a fully vaccinated workforce.”
To support efforts to fully vaccinate all team members, the company will also provide $200 to its frontline team members, subject to ongoing discussions with locations represented by unions. This is an expansion of the company’s existing policy of compensating workers for up to four hours of regular pay if they are vaccinated outside of their normal shift or through an external source.
Related: Tyson Foods Voluntarily Recalls Frozen, Fully Cooked Chicken; Tyson President, CEO Steps Down.
Image: Tyson Foods
