Alaska Airlines to pay $200 to vaccinated staffers, require vaccination for new employees

In an effort to boost vaccination rates among employees, Alaska Airlines, and its sister company Horizon Air, is implementing new COVID-19 vaccine incentives and rules, announced Thursday. 

Unlike United, Hawaiian and Frontier Airlines, Alaska has not yet made it mandatory for current employees to get vaccinated. Instead, the company is shifting towards rewarding those who get vaccinated, with a $200 payment, and adding requirements for those who don't. 

"We believe having as many people as possible vaccinated is the is best path for protection against COVID-19 and we will continue to strongly encourage our employees to be vaccinated," Alaska said in a statement. 

The company continued that "special COVID pay" for pandemic related absences will be discontinued for unvaccinated employees who get sick or are exposed.They may use sick leave or vacation time if they have it, The Seattle Times reported. The company "will also require all unvaccinated employees to participate in a vaccine education program."

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But the rule is different for new hires.

Vaccination is now a requirement for all future employees at the airline and it "will recognize those employees who provide proof of vaccination with a $200 payment." 

According to Alaska Airlines, 75% of employees who shared their status are vaccinated but "we have more work to do." In turn, it is "implementing new measures designed to increase vaccination rates and enhance our multi-layered approach to safety" but stopping short of a mandate. 

Vaccinated employees will not have to quarantine if exposed and if they get a breakthrough infection, they will have paid time off, The Seattle Times reported. 

Many airlines and companies have continued to change vaccination requirements amid the spread of the Delta variant. United Airlines announced that employees in the U.S. are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by late October and Hawaiian follows second, requiring vaccination by Nov. 1.

Follow Keira Wingate on Twitter @KeiraRenee.