Court Rules United Airlines Can Put Unvaccinated Workers On Unpaid Leave

A federal judge has ruled that United Airlines can put unvaccinated employees on unpaid leave. A group of employees, which includes two pilots, a flight attendant, and an aircraft technician, filed a lawsuit against the airline over its policy to put workers who were granted religious or medical exemptions from the company's vaccination policy on unpaid leave.

U.S. District Judge Mark T. Pittman denied their motion for a preliminary injunction, disputing their claims that being put on unpaid leave would cause "irreparable harm."

"The Court appreciates the difficulty conscientious employees face when asserting their religious rights," Pittman wrote in a 15-page ruling. "But that difficulty does not demonstrate irreparable harm."

The ruling applies to roughly 2,000 workers who were granted an exemption. United said that it is working to find other roles for those employees, and it is monitoring COVID transmission rates to determine when it is safe for those workers to return to their original positions.

"We're pleased with the court's decision," United said in a statement. "We know that the best way to keep everyone as safe as we can is for everyone to get vaccinated, as nearly all United employees have chosen to do."