Pfizer employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in coming weeks or face termination.
The Pharma company is mandating all U.S.-based employees and contractors be fully vaccinated by Nov. 15, according to an internal Sept. 21 memo obtained Friday by CBS affiliate, News Channel 3.
The requirement does not apply to those with a religious or medical exemptions, according to the outlet.
Those who do not abide by the requirement and do not have an exemption could get the boot, according to the memo from Nicole Shaffer, senior Director of Colleague Wellness at Pfizer.
The company — whose mRNA coronavirus vaccine is essentially the gold standard of such shots — previously required unvaccinated workers submit to weekly testing for the virus, according to the outlet.
Another memo to employees from Oct. 4 notes that starting Jan. 1, sixth- and seventh-day pay will be eliminated for those at the Portage, Michigan, and Franklin, Ohio, according to News Channel 3.
Employees told the outlet that those working irregular hours over the weekend will qualify for premium pay even though they won’t be working more than 40 hours as a result of not being with their families during the weekends.
“Overtime is not a guaranteed benefit. It is driven solely by business need and thus should not be considered ‘guaranteed compensation,’” read an answer on the attached FAQ page, according to the outlet, in response to, “This change is going to impact my pay. Is Pfizer going to compensate me for this change?”
The changes are a result of the company looking to act “in the spirit of Pfizer’s value of equity,” the memo read.
