Three CNN employees, who went into the office unvaccinated, are out of a job this Friday. It’s one of the first reported times an American corporation terminates an employee because of their COVID-19 vaccination status.
A memo about the firings was released on Thursday, by CNN’s President Jeff Zucker. While Zucker did not mention where the employees worked or what their positions were, he did say, “Let me be clear—we have a zero-tolerance policy on this.”
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CNN Senior media reporter Oliver Darcy posted about the firings on Twitter on Thursday.
Jeff Zucker adds in his memo to CNN staff: "In the past week, we have been made aware of three employees who were coming to the office unvaccinated. All three have been terminated. Let me be clear -- we have a zero-tolerance policy on this."
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) August 5, 2021
Most of CNN’s offices are already open on a voluntary basis, and Zucker said more than a third of news staff members have returned. Proof of vaccination has been left to the honor system, he said, but that may change in coming weeks.
The CNN leader said that masks will be required in Atlanta, Washington and Los Angeles offices when people aren’t eating, drinking or in an enclosed private space. Even in offices where mask-wearing is not mandated, people should do what feels comfortable to them “without any fear of retaliation or judgment from co-workers,” he said.
Many national and worldwide companies, including United Airlines, Facebook and Google, have imposed COVID-19 vaccination requirements in order for employees to return to the office. Other companies have taken it a step further, making vaccination a condition of employment.