GM Warns Holdout White-Collar Staff to Report Vaccination Status

(Bloomberg) -- General Motors Co. is ramping up pressure on white-collar employees to comply with a corporate mandate to report their vaccination status confidentially. 

The company sent out a memo on Sept. 22 warning that continued failure to do so could lead to safety violation letters and a partial loss of a company performance bonus. The Wall Street Journal reported on the memo earlier Friday. The automaker hasn’t required any workers to get the Covid-19 vaccine.

“We are pleased that virtually every GM salaried employee has reported their vaccine status via our confidential reporting tool,” the company said in an emailed statement. “We continue to work with a very small number of employees to reach 100% completion.” 

GM ordered its U.S. salaried staff to report their vaccination status last month, though the requirement doesn’t apply to factory employees represented by the United Auto Workers. The union has said it’s reviewing details of a sweeping rule by the White House that orders big companies to require Covid-19 shots or tests. 

Many companies across the U.S. have already implemented vaccine and testing requirements. Lawyers at companies surveyed by Bloomberg Law said they embrace the White House’s mandate but worry about the logistical headaches involved in implementing it.

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