Unvaccinated Delta Workers to Pay $200 Monthly Charge

Delta employees don't have to be vaccinated like United employees do, but those who aren't will have to jump through some hoops. Specifically:

• The company on Wednesday announced that as of today, unvaccinated employees will have to be masked in Delta's offices.
• As of Sept. 12, unvaccinated Delta employees will have to submit to weekly COVID testing should community case rates remain high.
• By the end of that month, only fully vaccinated employees suffering breakthrough infections will be eligible for pay protection for time off work.
• And starting in November, unvaccinated employees who get their health insurance through Delta will see a $200 monthly fee added, which the company says will help cover the costs of hospital stays; it said that in recent weeks, all hospitalized Delta employees were unvaccinated.

Lines from Delta Chief Executive Ed Bastian, per the Wall Street Journal: "I know some of you may be taking a wait-and-see approach or waiting for full FDA approval. With this week's announcement that the FDA has granted full approval for the Pfizer vaccine, the time for you to get vaccinated is now." As for the $200 fee, "This surcharge will be necessary to address the financial risk the decision to not vaccinate is creating for our company." (More Delta Air Lines stories.)