In our case, the company employs over 2000 full time employees and possibly 4000 seasonal employees.
A few months ago management offered us $100 to get vaccinated. (I already was). Today there was a letter posted on the board. That incentive has been increased to $1000 for full time employees with benefits and $200 for seasonal (uninsured) employees.
So why is a small company with a marginal profit margin offering such incentives to get employees vaccinated?
Because a vaccinated workforce is a less expensive workforce.
As an example, my wife's recent Covid related hospitalization cost my employer (self insured) $23,000 plus 10% Blue Cross handling fee just for the hospital. I have not seen related charges from radiology etc yet. They also covered my wages at 100% sick leave for two weeks while I was home taking care of my sick wife.
This company has spent HUGE amounts to cover sick leave benefits this year and last. It has also spent a like amount in overtime to pay people to cover the positions of those out sick with Covid or on quarantine.
Between sick leave benefits, Hospital insurance costs, and overtime to cover vacant positions, Covid is bleeding corporate America dry.
Of course Corporations are doing anything they can to encourage and perhaps to even force their employees to get vaccinated.
As far as contract language goes, our contract specifically states that it is subservient to state and federal law. Those of us working in Oregon have state mandated benefits not listed in the contract nor available to Idaho employees.
Bottom line: If you owned the company, and it was all the sudden operating at a loss for the last two years because of Covid related expenses, How long will you let it run that way?
Let it go bankrupt? Lose all you have invested? Leave your workforce unemployed?
Or perhaps ask them to accept a vaccination which will save the company and thus their employment?
Maybe your employer should get out of the self insured game.... since Obama federalized health care it is guaranteed to get incredibly expensive.... do idiots own your company?
1 Your question does nothing to address the risk/reward ratio of Vax vs unvaxed employees.
2 Nor does it address the expenses of paid sick leave for ill or quarantined employees. Nor the expense of paying others at overtime rate to cover for absent employees.
3 What health insurance company will offer a group policy for less than 10% over actual cost of benefits paid out?
I am really anxious for an answer to this last question as medical cost is directly subtracted from our wage/benefit package. Any reduction in health coverage expenses we can help the employer to achieve may be taken a direct wage increase.
Couple quick questions for ya.
1. How do you measure freedom?
2. How do you measure the right to control what goes into your own body? My friend and I were just discussing this one yesterday. If you don't have the right to control what goes into your own body, you have no rights at all.
Slaves get what they need. Free men get what they want.
