Southwest drops plan to put unvaccinated staff on unpaid leave starting in December

• • Southwest scrapped a plan to put unvaccinated workers with pending exemptions on unpaid leave after the Dec. 8 deadline.
  • Both American and Southwest require their new-hire employees to show proof of Covid-19 vaccination before their first day.
  • Large airlines are federal contractors and subject to a Biden administration order that requires their employees to be vaccinated or receive an exemption for medical or religious reasons.