Disney World halts vaccine requirement for workers after Florida restricts employer mandates

In a statement to The Washington Post on Saturday, Disney said it still believes its "approach to mandatory vaccines has been the right one."

But amid the uncertainty caused by the new state laws, Disney "will address legal developments as appropriate," the statement said.

Under the legislation passed in a special session last week, Florida companies are barred from mandating that all employees get vaccinated, and instead must allow workers to "choose from numerous exemptions," according to a statement from DeSantis, a Republican. Among the justifications for exemption are "anticipated future pregnancy" and recovery from prior covid-19 infection. Workers may also opt for regular coronavirus testing or the use of personal protective equipment - paid for by the employer - in lieu of a vaccine.

The law also calls for fines of as much as $50,000 per violation for large companies and $10,000 for smaller businesses if an employee is fired for not complying with a vaccine mandate.

Disney had announced this summer that it would require its employees to be fully vaccinated by the fall. The news preceded the Biden administration's announcement that it would require companies with 100 or more employees to mandate vaccinations or regular testing for their workers.

The rule was blocked by a federal appeals court in Louisiana - seen as one of the most conservative courts in the country - after Republican-aligned businesses and groups sued. A group of lawsuits against the order will be consolidated in federal court in Ohio, where it faces another panel of judges mostly appointed by Republicans.

Last week, Marc Freedman, a senior official at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, urged businesses to comply with the federal requirement, cautioning them not to take the "preliminary actions" by the court in Louisiana as a sign that the policy was dead.

Disney said that more than 90 percent of "active" Florida-based employees had verified to the company that they had been fully vaccinated. Airlines with vaccine mandates have reported similarly high vaccination levels.

Amid concerns over the continued spread of the coronavirus throughout the United States, a group of health-care associations that included the American Medical Association last week urged U.S. companies to voluntarily implement Biden's vaccine mandate, writing in a joint statement that "now is the time" for businesses to "step up and show they are serious" about stopping the spread of the virus.

Disney's pause on its vaccine requirement is not the first time that the governor has been at odds with large tourism companies in the state. This summer, Norwegian Cruise Line and DeSantis's administration entered a legal battle over the cruise line's vaccine requirement for every person onboard its ships and a state ban on such requirements.

DeSantis has repeatedly moved against coronavirus restrictions and vaccine mandates, touting his state's policies as promoting "freedom," even as the state has among the highest tallies of covid-related deaths in the country. He is widely seen as a potential candidate for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

DeSantis signed the new legislation at a ceremony at a car dealership in Brandon, Fla., a reference to the slogan "Let's go, Brandon," which has been used by conservatives as a euphemism for a more explicit chant against President Joe Biden that has erupted at sports venues and rallies across the country.