• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

AI CEOs from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Microsoft set aside their rivalry to warn Congress AI is making it too easy to design and create bioweapons

2

MacKenzie Scott's approach to her $26 billion giving spree was inspired by a book she read in college about writing

3

Social Security faces a 24% cut in 2032—that's a $345 billion hit to retirees nationwide, watchdog says

1

AI CEOs from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Microsoft set aside their rivalry to warn Congress AI is making it too easy to design and create bioweapons

2

MacKenzie Scott's approach to her $26 billion giving spree was inspired by a book she read in college about writing

3

Social Security faces a 24% cut in 2032—that's a $345 billion hit to retirees nationwide, watchdog says
Politics

Starbucks and other huge companies scramble to change vaccine policies after Supreme Court ruling

By
Colin Lodewick
Colin Lodewick
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Colin Lodewick
Colin Lodewick
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 21, 2022, 1:45 PM ET

Starbucks announced this week that it’s rolling back its Covid-19 rules that required all employees to either get vaccinated by Feb. 9 or submit to weekly testing. This decision comes just days after the Supreme Court struck down a mandate by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that required all companies with 100 employees or more to develop comprehensive and mandatory vaccination policies, affecting over 84 million Americans. 

In an unsigned opinion, the majority wrote: “Permitting OSHA to regulate the hazards of daily life — simply because most Americans have jobs and face those same risks while on the clock — would significantly expand OSHA’s regulatory authority without clear congressional authorization.”

The ruling has left companies scrambling to determine how to best protect their workers during the ongoing pandemic.

President Biden responded by calling on business leaders to “institute vaccination requirements to protect their workers, customers, and communities.”

But response from corporate America has been mixed.

Apparel company Carhartt, which employs approximately 3,000 workers in the U.S., has decided to continue with its own mandate, which instigated a boycott by conservative consumers. 

“Carhartt fully understands and respects the varying opinions on this topic, and we are aware some of our associates do not support this policy,” the company said in a statement shared with Fortune. “However, we stand behind our decision because we believe vaccines are necessary to protect our workforce.” 

The company also acknowledged that the “vast majority” of its workers are already fully or partially vaccinated.

Other businesses that had previously committed to vaccination requirements have since reneged following the Supreme Court decision. Amtrak rolled back its decision in December when the administration’s mandate was first halted in a district court, while General Electric announced last Friday it would suspend its own requirements. 

Starbucks, which employs over 200,000 workers in the U.S., tried to avoid the political controversy of adjusting its COVID rules with careful wording in its statement announcing the changing requirement.

John Culver, the company’s group president, North America and chief operating officer, released a new statement on Tuesday that deflected decision-making power away from itself: “We respect the Court’s ruling and will comply.”

With the mandate struck down, he offered that Starbucks continues to believe in its “spirit and intent.”

Angel Krempa, a shift supervisor at a Starbucks location in Buffalo, N.Y., sees company’s decision to not enforce vaccine or testing requirements as a way for it to cater to its politically diverse customer base rather than implement a plan that would best protect its workers. 

“They put themselves out [there] as a company that’s very pro partner and pro their employees, but they still care more about those customer connections. That matters way more than our safety,” she says. 

In his most recent memo, Culver wrote to the company’s employees: “Thank you for doing your part to help stop the spread of COVID-19, and to ensure that Starbucks remains a safe and familiar place where our partners and customers can continue to safely build connections with one another.” 

That focus on customer connections is frustrating, says Krempa, who has been instructed to ignore her county’s local mask mandate when confronted with unmasked customers. “I am not allowed to refuse service if they’re not wearing a mask and refuse to put one on,” she says.

Publicly dropping its vaccination and testing requirements while simultaneously reiterating its belief in the mandate’s thrust seems to Krempa like a clear effort by Starbucks to abstain from the explicit politicization around the vaccine — an effort that is likely to become the norm as companies move forward in the absence of a federal mandate.

Never miss a story: Follow your favorite topics and authors to get a personalized email with the journalism that matters most to you.

About the Author
By Colin Lodewick
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Politics

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Politics

trump
PoliticsWhite House
MAGA hates AI, but Trump agrees with Bernie it might be time for partial government ownership
By Nick LichtenbergJune 5, 2026
10 hours ago
jack
PoliticsElections
A Kennedy, Kellyanne Conway’s ex-husband and a former Palantir data scientist debated AI regulation. Welcome to the Manhattan primary
By Anthony Izaguirre and The Associated PressJune 5, 2026
17 hours ago
trump
Arts & EntertainmentWhite House
Trump says Knicks owner James Dolan invited him to Game 3 of the NBA Finals and he’s going
By Collin Binkley and The Associated PressJune 5, 2026
17 hours ago
Putin is running out of money to wage war on Ukraine, and this Russian-occupied territory is running out of fuel as Kyiv smashes supply lines
EnergyRussia
Putin is running out of money to wage war on Ukraine, and this Russian-occupied territory is running out of fuel as Kyiv smashes supply lines
By Jason MaJune 5, 2026
18 hours ago
pulte
North AmericaWhite House
Trump backs down on Bill Pulte after bipartisan Senate revolt
By Josh Boak and The Associated PressJune 5, 2026
19 hours ago
Senate passes $70 billion immigration bill to fund ICE following efforts to stop Trump’s $1.7 billion settlement fund
PoliticsImmigration
Senate passes $70 billion immigration bill to fund ICE following efforts to stop Trump’s $1.7 billion settlement fund
By Mary Clare Jalonick, Joey Cappelletti and The Associated PressJune 5, 2026
19 hours ago

Most Popular

AI CEOs from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Microsoft set aside their rivalry to warn Congress AI is making it too easy to design and create bioweapons
AI
AI CEOs from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Microsoft set aside their rivalry to warn Congress AI is making it too easy to design and create bioweapons
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJune 5, 2026
1 day ago
MacKenzie Scott's approach to her $26 billion giving spree was inspired by a book she read in college about writing
Success
MacKenzie Scott's approach to her $26 billion giving spree was inspired by a book she read in college about writing
By Sydney LakeJune 5, 2026
1 day ago
Social Security faces a 24% cut in 2032—that's a $345 billion hit to retirees nationwide, watchdog says
Economy
Social Security faces a 24% cut in 2032—that's a $345 billion hit to retirees nationwide, watchdog says
By Nick LichtenbergJune 5, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of June 5, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 5, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 5, 2026
22 hours ago
Ohio city workers are covering automated license plate readers with trash bags as officials sound the alarm on 'egregious violations' of privacy
Cybersecurity
Ohio city workers are covering automated license plate readers with trash bags as officials sound the alarm on 'egregious violations' of privacy
By Sasha RogelbergJune 3, 2026
3 days ago
'Big Tech is desperate': Amazon engineers are calling out the tech giant for its $200 billion in data center spending after slashing 30,000 workers
Environment
'Big Tech is desperate': Amazon engineers are calling out the tech giant for its $200 billion in data center spending after slashing 30,000 workers
By Sasha RogelbergJune 5, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.