CNN has fired three employees for coming to work unvaccinated against COVID-19 virus in violation of the company policy.
The media house has offered no details on the termination or where the employees were based.
Jeff Zucker, CNN chief, told staff members about this in a memo sent Thursday reminding them that vaccines were mandatory for reporting at the office and in the field where they come into contact with other employees.
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Zucker, chairman of news and sports for WarnerMedia, wrote, “Let me be clear – we have a zero tolerance policy on this.”
The Associated Press obtained the memo after its contents were first tweeted by CNN media reporter Oliver Darcy.
CNN has offered no details on the termination or where the employees were based.
Most of CNN’s offices remain open on a voluntary basis and more than a third of news staff members have returned to work.
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Zucker said proof of vaccination has been left to the honor system and masks will be required in Atlanta, Washington and Los Angeles offices when people aren’t eating, drinking or in an enclosed private space.
At 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 said company-wide return to the office will be delayed until at least early to mid-October. The AP also told employees that an expected September 13 return has also been delayed while other media companies have been making similar decisions. (AW)
