Companies shift thinking on COVID-19 vaccine mandates

There's a new shift from prior thinking that companies could steer clear of mandating vaccines for their workers.

Driving the news: Morgan Stanley said this week it would ban unvaccinated people from offices, while JPMorgan warned a mandate could be on the way.

Why it matters: Wall Street isn't representative of the rest of corporate America — but its executives have been among the most outspoken about a swift return to in-person work.

• How it plays out could set the stage for other companies sketching out a return-to-work plan for the fall.

The big picture: BlackRock will only allow inoculated workers to come back next month. Employees said they would feel more comfortable returning if everyone were vaccinated, Bloomberg reports.

• JPMorgan says unvaxxed employees are expected to return for now, but they'll be subject to mask-wearing and a "daily health check."
• Regardless, employees have to disclose vaccination status — or say whether they don't want to say.

Flashback: The federal government said last month it's legal for companies to require workers to be vaccinated.