These 14 Companies Require Workers To Get COVID Vaccine

Germany's antitrust investigation into Google follows the application of a new law giving the authorities more power to rein in big tech companies, with similar proceedings launched recently against Amazon and Facebook.

As the COVID cases increase across the U.S., many employers are taking a tough stance against combating the spread of the virus at their offices. Several companies in the last week have announced that they will require their employees to show proof of COVID vaccination before they can return to work.

Two of the more recent companies to make the announcement was Facebook and Google, both announcing the mandatory COVID vaccine requirement for their employees in late July.

In an email to staff obtained by ABC News, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said the policy would roll out across the U.S. in the coming weeks and in other regions of the world in the following months as the COVID vaccine becomes more readily accessible.

It was unclear at the time of writing how Google planned to enforce the vaccine policy that would affect about 130,000 employees, who are now looking at coming back to the office beginning Oct. 18, according to the memo.

Facebook’s vaccination requirement will require any workers returning to U.S. offices to be fully vaccinated unless prohibited for medical or other reasons.

Facebook Vice President of People Lori Goler told CNBC in a statement, “As our offices reopen, we will be requiring anyone coming to work at any of our U.S. campuses to be vaccinated. How we implement this policy will depend on local conditions and regulations.”

On Tuesday, meatpacker Tyson Foods said that its 120,000 U.S. employees will need to be fully vaccinated this year in order to keep working at the company.

Currently, 56,000 workers need their COVID shot, which Tyson said, it will pay them a $200 bonus to receive.

Plant employees have until Nov. 1 to get the vaccine, while office workers have until Oct. 1 to receive their inoculation, according to Tyson.

“It is abundantly clear that getting vaccinated is the single most effective thing we can do to protect ourselves, our families and our communities,” CEO Donnie King said in a memo to employees.

Walmart announced Monday that it will require all U.S.-based corporate employees to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 4 unless they have an approved exception.

Walmart said the decision was made because of the increase in infection rates caused by the Delta variant across much of the U.S.

Walmart is paying workers $150 a bonus as an incentive to get their COVID shot. The policy also applies to new hires but does not impact store employees.

Disney will also require salaried and non-union hourly employees to be vaccinated, NBC News said. Employees have 60 days to get their COVID shot.

In a statement obtained by NBC News, Disney said that "the safety and well-being of our employees during the pandemic has been and continues to be a top priority.

“Toward that end, and based on the latest recommendations of scientists, health officials and our own medical professionals that the COVID-19 vaccine provides the best protection against severe infection, we are requiring that all salaried and non-union hourly employees in the U.S. working at any of our sites be fully vaccinated," Disney said.

The entertainment company has also started discussions with unions on mandating COVID shots and is also requiring all new hires to be fully vaccinated before starting working with the company.

Several other companies have announced COVID vaccination requirements for their workers, including Netflix, which requires them for all U.S. productions, according to Deadline, and department store chain Saks Fifth Avenue that is also mandating its employees have the vaccine to work with the retailer, the New York Times said.

Other companies enforcing a COVID vaccine policy include Morgan Stanley, BlackRock, the Washington Post, Union Square Hospitality Group, Ascension Health, Lyft, Uber, Twitter, and Goldman Sachs, according to CNN.