Goldman demands vaccines for employees and visitors entering its offices

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. will require employees and visitors entering its offices to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 starting September 7.

In a note to employees on Tuesday, the Wall Street firm said it was also instituting a mask requirement for all common areas from Wednesday. The vaccines are available at many of the company’s on-site health centers, Goldman said, and employees are given half a day of paid leave for each dose. Employees who are not fully immunized by Sept. 7 must work from home, according to the memo.

The Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved full approval of the Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer Inc. and its partner BioNTech SE.

President Joe Biden, in response, urged private sector employers to make vaccines mandatory. “I ask you to do it, to demand it,” he said.

In July, Morgan Stanley began requiring employees and visitors to confirm their immunization status to enter its New York and neighboring Westchester County offices. (Unvaccinated employees must work remotely.) Citigroup also requires employees who return to its offices next month to be vaccinated.