MGM raises testing costs for unvaccinated workers

One of the largest employers successful Las Vegas is changing its COVID-19 investigating protocols for unvaccinated employees.

Starting Nov. 22, MGM Resorts International volition necessitate unvaccinated hourly employees to wage $38 for each on-site COVID-19 test, which is fractional the outgo the institution pays, MGM CEO Bill Hornbuckle said successful a missive to employees sent Tuesday. That’s up from the $15 co-pay complaint from the company’s existent argumentation that was announced successful July.

Workers tin take to get a PCR oregon lab-based antigen trial elsewhere, but self-testing kits volition not beryllium accepted. The argumentation does not impact employees who bash not exclusively enactment from home.

Employees who don’t comply with the caller protocol volition beryllium placed connected unpaid permission and volition not beryllium capable to work, the missive said.

The argumentation volition lone impact a fraction of MGM workers successful Las Vegas, however, arsenic Hornbuckle said successful the missive that 84 percent of the company’s hourly workforce has been vaccinated. It besides requires recently hired hourly workers to beryllium vaccinated.

“As I’ve stressed each year, if you’ve not yet been vaccinated, now’s the time,” Hornbuckle wrote. “If you’ve not been vaccinated, delight marque a program to support yourself, your loved ones, our guests, and your teammates from the virus.”

Hornbuckle said the institution decided to marque the alteration portion they reappraisal the caller Occupational Safety and Health Administration exigency bid requiring private-sector employers with much than 100 employees to either mandate vaccines for unit oregon enact play investigating requirements. Companies person until Dec. 4 to finalize those policies.

MGM implemented a vaccine mandate successful October for its astir 6,000 salaried workers nationwide, and 98 percent of those workers complied with the Oct. 15 deadline.

In a statement, the Culinary Local 226, which represents astir 24,000 MGM employees successful Las Vegas, said the national “will stay vigilant to guarantee workers are protected astatine work, are actively negotiating with gaming companies to person agreements which bespeak those goals, and we proceed to impulse hospitality employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine arsenic they are safe, proven, and effective.”

Contact Colton Lochhead astatine clochhead@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ColtonLochhead connected Twitter.

Bill.hornbuckle.letter.11.1… by Colton Lochhead