Southwest Airlines Backs Off Plan to Put Unvaccinated Employees on Unpaid Leave

Southwest Airlines officials have delayed a plan to place unvaccinated employees without an approved medical or religious exemption on unpaid leave.

Southwest, a Dallas-based company, substantiated claims that it sent out an employee memo with a new plan for processing medical and religious exemptions that does not involve placing employees on unpaid leave. 

While Southwest insisted that it would grant “all valid requests” for religious and medical accommodations, the company also indicated that if a request is not granted, then they will “provide adequate time for an employee to become fully vaccinated while continuing to work and adhering to safety protocols.”

A statement from Southwest noted: “If an accommodation has not been reviewed or approved by December 8, the Employee will continue to work, while following all COVID mask and distancing guidelines applicable to their position, until the accommodation has been processed.” 

Southwest airlines has been the target of criticism and protests after announcing a vaccination mandate and December 8 deadline to comply.

Hundreds recently protested the vaccine mandate by gathering outside Southwest’s headquarters in Dallas.

“Let your voice be heard,” a protest flyer reportedly read. “Please join your Southwest Cohearts, vaccinated or not, in exercising your first amendment right to a peaceful protest of the recent COVID-19 vaccination mandate.” 

Southwest has joined the growing list of employers facing lawsuits related to vaccine mandates.  

The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA) asked a court to intervene and stop the company from enforcing the vaccine requirement. One of SWAPA arguments hinged on the fact that pilots face a unique risk from any potential vaccine side-effects because of the rigorous medical standards pilots need to meet before taking to the skies.

Legal arguments took place last weekend with Southwest’s lawyers advocating against SWAPA’s request, citing the undue harm it would inflict on its business and employees.

Southwest employees have expressed their frustration with a rash of sick calls and walk-outs, causing major disruptions to Southwest’s flight schedule. 

Southwest and the Federal Aviation Administration denied any association between the flight cancellations and the vaccine mandate, claiming the delays were due to weather concerns. 

Other airlines did not experience similar levels of flight cancellations during the same period. 

Last week, Southwest CEO Greg Kelly expressed that despite his misgivings with the idea of a vaccine mandate for his employees, he felt compelled to institute one based on the company’s status as a federal contractor. 

In September, President Joe Biden announced a comprehensive plan to combat the spread of COVID-19, including the implementation of a vaccine mandate for federal employees and contractors. 

Opponents point out that a “mandate” is not a law, and that only Congress can establish a law, which it has not done concerning vaccinations.

“I’ve never been in favor of corporations imposing that kind of a mandate. I’m not in favor of that. Never have been,” admitted Kelly. “But the executive order from President Biden mandates that all federal employees and then all federal contractors, which covers all the major airlines, have to have a [vaccine] mandate … in place by Dec. 8, so we’re working through that.”

United Airlines, American Airlines, JetBlue, Alaska Airlines, and Hawaiian Airlines now have similar vaccine mandates.

Delta is the only major airline that has not announced a vaccine mandate. Instead, the company has indicated that it will be charging unvaccinated employees $200 per month for anticipated increases in healthcare-related expenses.