Amazon Lifts Mask Mandates for Vaccinated Warehouse Employees. There’s a rumor that Amazon wants to lift its mandates for vaccinated warehouse employees. Amazon is rolling back its mask requirement for fully vaccinated warehouse workers. Amazon is lifting its mask mandate for fully vaccinated warehouse workers in the US.
According to CNBC, the company reportedly sent out a notice to operations employees, stating that vaccinated workers are no longer required to wear masks starting November 2nd. Masks will still be required if state or local laws mandate them, however.
Amazon Lifts Mask Mandates for Vaccinated Warehouse Employees
“Vaccines are universally available across the U.S. and vaccination rates continue to rise which enables the ability to return to our previous mask policy,” the notice states.
An Amazon spokesperson confirmed the company is changing its mask policy in warehouses. Amazon continues to evaluate all of its Covid safety measures based on guidance from public health officials and internal medical experts, the spokesperson added.
Amazon said it considers workers to be fully vaccinated once it has been at least two weeks since they received their final dose of the vaccine. Workers must also provide proof of their vaccination status in Amazon’s internal employee portal, called “A to Z.”
Mask Mandate Policy
According to the verge, in August, Amazon reinstated its mask mandate policy for both vaccinated and unvaccinated employees in response to an uptick in COVID-19 cases. This came shortly after Amazon stopped requiring facial coverings for vaccinated workers in May.
It appears that Amazon is slowly relaxing its safety guidelines for workers as vaccines become available to nearly everyone, including children. Amazon discontinued its onsite COVID-19 testing in July, and its corporate workers will return to the office in early 2022.
Amazon Requires Employees to Enter Their Vaccine Information
According to CNBC, to verify that workers are vaccinated, Amazon will require employees to enter their vaccine information into an internal employee portal, called “A to Z.”
Fully vaccinated employees will receive a green checkmark on the screen, which they then show as proof as they enter their site at the start of their shift.
“A HUGE thank you to everyone who has and continues to prioritize our Covid-19 safety measures,” the company said in the notice to workers. “The last 14 months have not always been easy, but your dedication continues to be appreciated by leaders and customers across the country. We cannot wait to see your smile.”
