Saying that it still believes it was doing the right thing, Walt Disney World has nonetheless paused its mandatory employee vaccines to comply with new legislation signed by Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
According to a story by the Washington Post, the governor last week restricted businesses from an all-encompassing COVID-19 vaccination mandate for workers. Employers must offer a series of exemptions for its staff, including religious, medical – including the possibility of future pregnancy for women – or an option to agree to be regularly tested instead of being vaccinated.
In a statement to The Post, Disney said its “approach to mandatory vaccines has been the right one,” but “will address legal developments as appropriate.”
DeSantis has been a big proponent of keeping Florida open and not capitulating to such virus measures as wearing face masks, including in schools (although some districts in the state have defied that order and still have students wear masks).
This latest legislation packs some punch, though, lending itself to one reason why Disney has paused its employee mandate. The law comes with fines up to $50,000 for large companies, such as Disney, if an employee is terminated for not receiving the vaccine.
Disney World enacted its employee vaccine mandate prior to President Joe Biden’s requirement that all businesses with more than 100 employees require vaccinations for workers. That requirement has since been blocked by a Louisiana appeals court and will be heard in federal court in Ohio later this year.
Disney World is in the midst of its 50th-anniversary celebration.
