New restrictions from American Airlines as it says most employees complying with vaccine mandate
On the same day that the U.S. Supreme Court heard a challenge to the Biden administration's COVID-19 vaccine mandates, American Airlines announced new restrictions for its unvaccinated U.S. employees. The Jan. 7 statement from American indicated that more than 96% of its employees had either submitted proof of vaccination or requested a religious or medical accommodation from the mandate.
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Going forward, the airline said it will impose additional requirements for unvaccinated U.S.-based employees. Those who are unvaccinated must "complete a weekly self-health declaration, practice social distancing when possible and wear a mask at all times, except when outside and social distancing can be maintained."
The requirements apply even to those who have received approved accommodations from the vaccine mandate.
American employees had previously faced a deadline of Jan. 4 to provide proof of vaccination or receive an exemption. However, ongoing legal challenges to federal vaccine mandates have left airlines with little choice but to move the goalposts on their own internal directives.
Related: Dr. Fauci clarifies that travelers shouldn’t expect a domestic flight vaccine mandate
Fort Worth-based American has faced pushback from employees regarding the mandates over the past few months, as have other airlines.
At this point, it appears that courts will be the ultimate arbiter of how the mandates play out in the airline industry.
On Friday the oral argument before the Supreme Court involved the vaccine mandates for healthcare providers and for companies with more than 100 workers. Legal observers noted that the Court seemed skeptical of the rule, which affects more than 80 million U.S. workers.
Airlines, however, also fall under a separate mandate for federal workers because of their work as federal contractors. That rule was not at issue before the Supreme Court on Friday. It is currently being challenged in other federal courts, though, so the matter may remain in flux for the foreseeable future.
The new rules at American Airlines are set to take effect on Jan. 17. It is not immediately clear what will happen to the 4% of employees who are unvaccinated and have not received an exemption.
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The Capital One Venture X card is one of the best all-round travel credit cards ever launched. Not only is it offering a tremendous welcome bonus, but cardholders can earn tons of miles on everyday spending and receive a 10,000-mile anniversary bonus to boot. Its annual fee is $395, but cardholders can count on up to $300 in statement credits toward travel booked through Capital One Travel each year and other valuable benefits like access to Priority Pass lounges and Capital One’s own growing family of airport lounges.Pros
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- Up to $300 in annual travel statement credits toward bookings make through Capital One Travel.
- 10,000 bonus miles (worth $100 toward travel) each account anniversary.
Cons
- The $395 annual fee might be expensive for some, but this card’s benefits provide much more value than that.
- If you don’t travel frequently, this might not be the best card for you.
- Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Receive up to $300 back annually as statement credits for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of options
- Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
- Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
- Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
- Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Named editors' choice for "Best New Credit Card of 2021" by The Points Guy
- Earn 10 miles per dollar when you book on Turo, the world's largest car sharing marketplace, through May 16, 2023