The US bank announced plans to introduce new vaccination rules in October, and it will now be the first major Wall Street institution to be subject to strict vaccination requirements. The move comes as the financial sector wonders how to safely return workers to offices and back to work as the highly contagious version of the coronavirus called omicron spreads like wildfire in the United States. news agency.
Other major Wall Street banks, including Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan Chase, have told some of their unvaccinated employees to work from home, but none have gone so far as to lay off their unvaccinated workers. While Citigroup is the first major bank to introduce a commitment to vaccination, some other major US companies, including Google and United Airlines, have introduced “if you can’t get vaccinated, you can’t work” policy with varying degrees of strictness.
A source told Reuters that more than 90 percent of Citigroup’s employees have so far complied with the employer’s request, and this percentage is rising rapidly, adding that the timing of vaccination will vary for branch employees. Citi also announced when announcing its policy that it will consider waivers for religious, health, or other privileges granted by state or local law on a case-by-case basis.
The bank then said it adheres to President Joe Biden’s policy of requiring all workers who support government contracts to be fully vaccinated because the government is a “big and important” customer.
Vaccination, like many countries around the world, has become a contentious issue in the United States, with some vehemently opposed and many Republicans critical of making it mandatory by governments and companies.
The US Supreme Court on Friday heard requests from Republican government officials and business groups that would conflict with the state’s mandatory vaccination requirements for companies with more than 100 employees.
Adam Galinsky, a professor at Columbia Business School who advises companies on strategies for returning to work, said many companies initially welcomed the vaccination mandate from the White House because it took the issue out of their hands.
“However, companies understand that Biden’s mandate may not hold its place in the Conservative Supreme Court. If it doesn’t, he will put the decision back into their hands and they will have to do something,” the expert added.
In Hungary, Orbán’s government has eliminated the issue of the obligation to vaccinate: the state does not make vaccinations mandatory, but gives employers the opportunity to do so. Similar to US rules, if someone doesn’t follow instructions, they can be sent on unpaid leave.