Micron Technology mandates COVID-19 vaccine for U.S. employees

BOISE, Idaho — Micron Technology, one of Idaho's largest private employers, is requiring all of its U.S. employers and all U.S. contractors who work in Micron buildings to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

The Boise-based computer memory chip maker announced Friday that any Micron employee who does not have an approved exemption for religion or disability and chooses not to be fully vaccinated by November 15 will "no longer be permitted to work for Micron following that date." Any contractor who chooses not to be vaccinated by November 15 will no longer be permitted to work inside a Micron building.

Micron also has facilities outside of the U.S.

"As vaccines become more readily available in other Micron locations worldwide, we anticipate requiring vaccination where allowed by local law," the company said in a news release.

Micron also offers COVID-19 testing and vaccinations for team members and contractors at many of its global locations, and a vaccine clinic at its Boise headquarters is open for everyone, not just people who work for Micron.

Since the COVID-19 vaccine first became widely available in the U.S., Micron has provided its employees with paid leave for up to two days per vaccine shot in the event they experience any side effects from receiving the vaccine that would cause them to not be able to work effectively.

Micron has already required the wearing of masks, physical distancing and daily health declarations for on-site employees, and conducted contact tracing and COVID-19 testing.

The company also said it has increased the frequency of cleaning, and installed or modified HVAC and ionization fans.

Here is the rest of Micron's statement about the new vaccine requirement:

"...Micron believes that vaccination is the single best defense against COVID-19. The rise of the Delta variant is a reminder that the longer COVID-19 is allowed to spread, the higher the likelihood that other, potentially more dangerous variants could emerge. In joining the growing number of major companies who've made the decision to require vaccines at their workplaces, we are making our communities safer for all. 

"We must address our global responsibility to do everything possible to end this pandemic as soon as we can. It is the right thing to do for our colleagues at Micron and our communities. For every COVID-19 vaccine dose our team members receive, up to 50,000 doses (a $250,000 donation), the Micron Foundation will donate a COVID-19 vaccine dose to UNICEF's "Donate Doses" campaign.

"From the beginning of the pandemic, Micron has partnered with local health districts, complied with government-led public health mandates and maintained an open dialogue with our team members as new information became available. We are committed to furthering these efforts as we continue to fight COVID-19 – and protect our teams, our communities and our world – together."

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