Hawaiian Electric said today it will require employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to weekly testing starting Sept. 1.

“With the rise of the delta variant, our communities are facing a renewed challenge in this pandemic. In response, we have decided to offer two options to our employees – vaccination or weekly testing. The vaccines have proven to be safe, effective and our best defense against the virus. We respect that vaccination is a personal choice – and that’s why weekly testing is an option,” the company said in a statement.

Hawaiian Electric said the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1260, has shared its support for the initiative.

Starting Sept. 1, the company will require that employees, with some exceptions, provide proof that they have received at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine or undergo weekly tests before they will be allowed on the worksite, the company said. Employees must be fully vaccinated by Oct. 31 to be exempted from the weekly testing requirement, the statement said.