The Walt Disney Company said Friday that it requires all salaried and non-salaried hourly workers in the United States to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus by the end of September.
Employees who still work from home will be required to provide proof of vaccination before returning to any Disney facilities, including theme parks and offices.
Disney said it has begun negotiations with unions representing other employees, especially those who work at its theme parks.
“Vaccines are the best tool we all have to help control this global pandemic and protect our employees,” the company said in a statement.
The notice came shortly after Disney said it would begin requiring theme park visitors to wear masks while indoors at its national theme parks, regardless of vaccination status.
The policy was introduced after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reversed course and recommended that fully vaccinated people begin wearing masks indoors again in areas with high levels of Covid transmission. Those hot spots include states such as California and Florida, where Disney’s American Parks is located.
The CDC warned Thursday that the delta variant, which has spread across the country, is as contagious as chicken pox. It also has a longer transmission period than the original Covid-19 strain and can cause more severe illness in older people, even if they are fully vaccinated.
Other companies that have introduced new vaccination rules include Google, Facebook and Walmart.
Since the pandemic began, Disney has updated its safety rules to comply with local health regulations both at home and abroad. Most recently, the company began requiring proof of vaccination against Covid or a negative test for Covid before entering an amusement park in Paris, according to French regulations.
