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Forestry company incentivizing employees, contractors to get vaccinated

An Eastern Canadian wood products company has rolled out a new incentive program to reward employees and contractors who get vaccinated against COVID-19.

With employee safety top of mind, EACOM Timber Corporation hopes to achieve an 85 per cent vaccination rate among the staff at its nine sawmills and two secondary manufacturing facilities across Quebec and Ontario.

Applicable retroactively to December 2020 and to all incoming employees, the confidential program announced May 6 includes an incentive of $200 for the first dose, $150 for the second, or $350 for a single-shot vaccine.

“We are committed to offering safe working environments for all members of our staff and business partners, as well as contributing to vaccination efforts in our communities,” said EACOM president and CEO Kevin Edgson in a news release.

“As a leadership team, we felt it was our duty to achieve a high target vaccination level at our facilities and that offering a cash incentive, in a confidential and equitable manner, would be a good option. We are pleased with the results thus far and appreciate everything our employees are doing to help us get back to normal as safely, and quickly, as possible.”

EACOM has made the program retroactive so that employees and contractors who received the vaccine early on can still receive the incentive.

Those who cannot receive the vaccine for medical reasons can still apply to receive the bonus and so can new employees, even if they received the vaccine prior to their start date.

At the end of the program, the company intends to hold a draw among its facilities that meet the 85 per cent vaccination level goal for three prizes of $10,000 each. The prize money will be used by the local Joint Health and Safety Committee for equipment upgrades.

EACOM’s vaccination ‘thank you’ program, which falls under the company’s commitment to safe environments and thriving communities, runs until Dec. 31, 2021.