Southwest Airlines has changed its plans to force employees who haven’t received a religious or medical vaccination exemption to go on unpaid leave after December 08. As a federal contractor, Southwest is subject to a White House order requiring all employees to be vaccinated.

The airlines’ senior management said employees may continue working while following mask and physical distancing guidelines even if their exemption request has not been assessed by the deadline.

Southwest is giving workers until November 24 to complete their vaccinations or apply for an exemption.

They will continue to be paid while Southwest reviews their requests.

Southwest’s pilot union has started action to block the mandates and has requested an alternative such as regular testing. The pilots recently staged a protest outside the company’s headquarters.