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Chipotle not requiring employee COVID-19 vaccinations

Provided

December 28, 2020

Although Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol was strongly encouraging employees to be get COVID-19 vaccinations, it won't be a requirement.

"This is a topic we've been discussing a whole bunch because it falls right in the realm of making sure that we got the best wellness programs available for our employees," Niccol said Tuesday during in interview on NBC's Closing Bell. "As of right now, we are not going to mandate it, we're going to strongly encourage it. We'll cover any of the cost associated with getting access to it as well as the ability to get a vaccine. But we are not going to mandate it."

Essential workers, which includes people in the food industry, are in Phase 1B, and are next to receive a COVID-19 vaccine at the recommendation of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It includes about 49 million people or nearly 15% of Americans.