Universal Orlando employees will not be required to either get a COVID-19 vaccine or undergo weekly testing after all.
The policy, which was announced on Jan. 10, was meant to comply with the Biden administration’s test-or-vaccination mandate for companies with 100 or more employees. However, the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority blocked the requirement that same week, after which Universal told Theme Park Tribune it was “reviewing” the policy.
In an email to Universal team members, the resort said vaccination would still be encouraged, but not required.
Employees are still required to disclose whether they’re vaccinated, and a Universal spokesperson did not answer a question from the Orlando Sentinel about whether the resort is concerned about employees lying about their status now that vaccination will not be required.
Disney World paused its own COVID-19 vaccine mandate in November due to a Florida law that banned companies from enforcing such mandates.
COVID-19 vaccines have been proven to be safe and effective, with a CDC study released Friday showing that booster doses are 90 percent effective in preventing hospitalization from the more transmissible omicron variant.