An Atlanta-based airline is charging additional health insurance fees for employees who are not vaccinated against COVID-19.
Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian released a memo stating that, effective Nov. 1, unvaccinated employees would have to pay an extra $200 per month for their health insurance.
At the time the memo was released, about 75% of Delta employees were already vaccinated, according to NPR.
"This surcharge will be necessary to address the financial risk the decision to not vaccinate is creating for our company," Bastian wrote, according to NPR. Bastian also said that during the "summer surge," all Delta employees who had been hospitalized with COVID-19 were not fully vaccinated.
The Society for Human Resource Management found in a September survey that less than 1% of organizations had raised health insurance premiums for unvaccinated workers.
JPMorgan Chase, a Wall Street banking giant, and Harmons, a Utah grocery chain, appear to be increasing health care premiums for unvaccinated staff as well, NPR reported.
According to federal law, companies may charge employees varying amounts for health care if they do it through a "wellness program" that promotes healthy behaviors and prevents disease.
