CHICAGO (Reuters) — Meat packer JBS USA and chicken company Pilgrim’s Pride Corp. will pay $100 to U.S. employees who voluntarily receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
The bonus is intended to encourage employees to get inoculations, after thousands of U.S. meat-packing workers became infected with the coronavirus last year.
The companies said internal surveys showed 60 to 90 percent of employees at individual facilities were willing to be vaccinated. They have launched educational campaigns to promote the vaccine to their workforce, which includes immigrants from around the world.
Food and agricultural workers are scheduled to receive the vaccine in a later phase in the United States, after health-care workers and people older than 75.
“We recognize that some team members in our diverse workforce may have concerns or be less inclined to get vaccinated,” said Chris Gaddis, JBS USA’s head of human resources.
Tyson Foods Inc said it will offer vaccines on site at its facilities while employees are on the job.
