Employees of Walt Disney World Resort in Florida no longer have to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to go to work, the entertainment giant said in an internal memo to staff.
Although Disney World implemented a companywide vaccine requirement policy in July, a Florida law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis last week prohibits the company from enforcing it, along with other employers with vaccine mandates.
"We must pause the enforcement of our policy for Florida-based cast members and employees," Disney managers said in the Friday memo obtained by Fox35 in Orlando.
"Cast members" refers to the actors who dress up as Disney characters — like Tiana or Mulan — and walk around the theme park. Employees who are not vaccinated will now have to wear face coverings and maintain social distance from co-workers and guests, Disney said in the memo.
Disney confirmed the suspension of its vaccine policy with CBS MoneyWatch on Monday. The company wouldn't say if it plans to challenge Florida's new law.
"We believe that our approach to mandatory vaccines has been the right one as we've continued to focus on the safety and well-being of our cast members and guests," a Disney spokesperson said in an emailed statement, adding that 90% of Florida employees are already vaccinated. "We will address legal developments as appropriate," the spokesperson said.
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