Starbucks Commits To Mandating Employees Get COVID-19 Vaccine Or Testing By Feb. 9

Starbucks committed to requiring all U.S. workers to be vaccinated or tested weekly by Feb. 9 to follow federal COVID-19 vaccination mandates for businesses with over 100 employees.

COO of the Seattle-based company John Culver told the workforce of the coffee giant in a Dec. 27 letter that employees must declare their vaccination status by Jan. 10. The company has around 220,000 employees, and those who do not get vaccinated will be required to pay for their own testing. The company also said religious and medical exemptions will be considered, but that exemption will not absolve them of weekly testing requirements.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) set Feb. 9 as the date for large employers to have all their employees vaccinated or tested weekly. The mandate has gone through several legal challenges and was previously scheduled to take effect on Jan. 4. However, the date was delayed pending these challenges, with a Supreme Court hearing on the matter expected Friday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also issued new guidance on how long people should isolate after contracting COVID-19, reducing the number of days from 10 to five for the asymptomatic.

“I recognize that partners have a wide spectrum of views on vaccinations, much like the rest of the country,” Culver said in a letter obtained by reporters that was sent to employees on Dec. 27. “My responsibility, and that of every leader, is to do whatever we can to help keep you safe and create the safest work environment possible.

"This is an important step we can take to help more partners get vaccinated, limit the spread of COVID-19 and create choices that partners can own based on what's best for them. It's concerning to see this new variant has pushed daily COVID-19 case counts higher than the Delta wave at its peak.”