Bridgestone Corp. is offering US$100 payments to its approximately 33,000 employees in the U.S. to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, joining a group of large companies offering incentives to encourage staff to get the vaccine.
Just as people around the world face down entering the second year of the coronavirus pandemic, the tire company said it’s also exploring the possibility of similar programs in Canada and Latin America, according to a press release. Bridgestone noted coronavirus vaccinations won’t be mandatory for its employees.
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“Bridgestone is providing the $100 support payment to remove barriers for employees who choose to get the vaccine, such as missing work, child care, transportation costs, or other potential obstacles,” the release said.
Similar vaccination incentive programs have been announced by U.S. companies including Dollar General Corp., Trader Joe’s and Instacart. In January, at least 35 tech companies in Canada — including SkipTheDishes, Borrowell, and FreshBooks — signed a pledge from the Council of Canadian Innovators vowing to let their staff slip out of work to get a jab and promising to provide them with accurate and reliable public-health information around vaccinations.
Read: Some Canadian companies pledging to let employees get vaccinations during work hours