24 Nov Thankful for You. We have a December Vaccine Incentive
Dear First Class Team Member,
At this time of Thanksgiving, I want to pay special thanks to those who have been vaccinated, who are caring for themselves, caring for their loved ones, caring for our communities, and who are, consequently, helping us bounce back as a company. You are keeping the risk of infection low by contributing to the population of those immunized and thus protecting all, even those who have yet to be vaccinated. You have done your part to help us get back to work while minimizing our health care expenses.
Truth is, 2021 was yet another challenging year. This pandemic seemed to be winding down early on, but the Delta variant helped it rear its ugly head once again and many states continue to experience record high COVID-19 cases. As a company, we have experienced COVID-19 at every level. We have lost team members to this disease; we have witnessed our team members suffer weeks in the hospital with life-threatening complications, and we have witnessed team members lose loved ones. Organization-wide, we missed over 1300 days of work due to COVID-19. Additionally, the Company incurred over half a million dollars due to COVID-19 health care expenses.
While we continue to experience new cases every day, it remains undisputed that vaccinated individuals are better protected and significantly less susceptible to complications than the unvaccinated. With that in mind, I want to express my sincere gratitude and the gratitude of the entire leadership team for your commitment, your dedication, and your resilience. Thank you for rolling up your sleeves and helping to protect us all from a deadly pandemic. It was team members like you who, despite the pressures and challenges posed by the pandemic, played an important role in helping us achieve our business goals while also fulfilling our responsibilities to the clients we serve.
Indeed, I believe that the uniqueness of this year and your commitment under extraordinary circumstances deserves to be recognized. To thank you and acknowledge your contribution, non-exempt (i.e., hourly) team members who have provided us proof of vaccination will receive a discretionary, one-time $500 bonus in December shortly before the holidays. And, because we know there are still unvaccinated team members, and we realize that the best way to combat this disease is to get vaccinated, this bonus will be available to any non-exempt team member who provides us proof of vaccination (at least the first dose) by December 11, 2021.
To our vaccinated team members, thank you for everything you have done this year for our business and for each other. To our unvaccinated team members, we appeal to you to rethink your decision. We all want the world to return to normal and the best way to do this is for everyone to be vaccinated.
Lastly, if you are currently vaccinated, be sure to get your booster. Being fully vaccinated is the best way to keep yourself, your family, your friends, and your community safe.
Thank you for all you do. Be safe.
Jeff Rogers
Division CEO