Foodland Announces Vaccine Mandate

At least one Maui retail giant is serious about complying with proposed federal mandates that companies with more than 100 employees must meet mandatory COVID-19 vaccination requirements.

According to Sheryl Toda, Vice President of marketing and corporate communications for Foodland Supermarkets LTD, the company is poised to do just that.

“All employees except those who have an approved exemption are required to be vaccinated by Nov. 8, 2021,” she said. “Our company had been discussing requiring employee vaccinations prior to President Biden’s announcement (on Sept. 9), but knowing we would need to comply with the federal mandate gave us even more reason to move forward.   In addition, in a recent company survey, the majority of employees supported a vaccination requirement.  At Foodland, we believe the COVID-19 vaccination is an important way to keep our community safe.”

Toda said Foodland has approximately 490 employees on Maui. She said those employees who choose not to get vaccinated and do not have an approved exemption will lose their jobs.

Other major retailers who face potential changes in updated rules include Safeway, Lowe’s, Home Depot, Target, and Costco among others.

*Clarification: The US Department of Labor is in the process of developing a rule for businesses with 100 or more employees. Such a rule has not been finalized.