CNN has fired three employees who violated company policy by coming to work unvaccinated against coronavirus.
CNN’s President, Jeff Zucker, communicated the company’s decision to the staff in a memo on Thursday.
He reminded them that vaccines were mandatory if they report to the office or out in the field where they come into contact with other employees.
“Let me be clear, we have a zero-tolerance policy on this,” Zucker said.
The memo, which also appeared on the company’s website, offered no details on the firings, or where the employees were based. But said 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.
The CNN memo also said a planned 7 September company-wide return to the office will be delayed until at least early to mid-October.
Other media companies have been making similar decisions because of the rise in Covid cases; the AP told employees on Thursday that an expected 13 September return has also been delayed.
