JPMorgan Chase will require vaccines to enter nine Manhattan office buildings, including its headquarters at 383 Madison Ave.
The mandate goes into place Wednesday, according to an internal memo seen by Bloomberg News.
Unvaccinated employees have been asked to work from home temporarily until “alternative solutions are considered,” according to the memo, sent to staff Tuesday. The decision comes after New York state instituted a mask mandate for businesses that don’t require proof of vaccination.
“We are taking this step because we have very high rates of vaccination amongst our employees,” the New York-based bank said in the memo. “With rates well above 90%, it seems unfair to require our vaccinated employees to wear masks all day at their desks, and would be a step that would slow the progress we’ve already made towards business normalcy.”
The financial industry has been at the vanguard of corporate America’s push to refill office towers this year after 2020’s pandemic lockdowns launched the work-from-home era. In addition to JPMorgan’s headquarters, the new vaccination requirement is being put in place at two other Madison Avenue buildings, three on Park Avenue, 28 Liberty St., 4 New York Plaza and 5 Manhattan West, according to the memo.
Those buildings will now have relaxed mask guidelines, with employees required to wear one only when walking through lobbies, riding in elevators and sitting in cafes when not eating.
