Amazon fulfillment center warehouse.
Getty Images
Amazon is rolling back its mask requirement for warehouse workers as Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to drop nationwide.
Starting Tuesday, face masks will be optional for workers across all U.S. operations facilities, regardless of their vaccination status, unless mandated by state or local law, according to a notice Amazon sent to workers Sunday that was viewed by CNBC.
“This announcement is an exciting step in our path to normal operations,” the notice states.
Still, Amazon said it strongly recommends that unvaccinated employees continue wearing a mask. Any workers that prefer to wear a face mask are “welcome to do so,” the company added.
An Amazon spokesperson confirmed the authenticity of the notice, but declined to comment further.
Last December, Amazon revived its mask mandate amid a surge in Covid-19 cases due to the highly transmissible omicron variant. Amazon, the second-largest employer in the U.S. behind Walmart, hasn’t mandated vaccines for its workers.
Other companies like Target and Tyson Foods have loosened their mask policies in recent weeks as coronavirus infections have fallen from highs late last year and in January. Earlier this month, Amazon told vaccinated employees they had the option to work without a face mask.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday released new mask guidance, allowing most people to ditch their face coverings as long as Covid-19 hospitalizations in their communities remain low. More than 70% of Americans live in areas where wearing masks is no longer required.