To ensure that its employees get vaccinated, Citigroup, the American investment bank and financial services company has issued an ultimatum to its workforce in the US. The employees have been told to get their jabs before January 14 or be prepared for termination.
Of the over 65,000 strong workforce, about 3,250 employees are still to get their shots against COVID-19. The multinational hopes that with this deadline in place for employees to present proof of vaccination, more employees will get vaccinated soon. Employees have been informed that if they fail to submit proof of vaccination by January 14, they will be placed on unpaid leave and be fired by end of January 2022. Already at least a significant 90 per cent are protected by inoculation.
Those seeking exemption on medical grounds or religious grounds will be allowed to do so.
However, the terminated employees may seek jobs within the Citigroup later, once they are vaccinated and fulfil the requirements of the Company’s vaccination policy.
Many companies across the US are issuing vaccine mandates to their employees. However, not many have been as strict as Citigroup. Most have allowed the unvaccinated employees the option to work from home if they are not inoculated.
With many citizens voicing their protests against the vaccine mandate, and several states still unwilling to comply, this move by Citigroup is rather commendable.
The multinational has been employing other measures to ensure willingness for and awareness of the vaccine amongst its employees. For instance, it has sought help from experts from the medical fraternity to enlighten the staff about the benefits of the shots, organised town halls and rewarded those who have been inoculated.
