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EACOM rolls out program encouraging employees to get vaccinated

EACOM Timber Corporation has announced the rollout of an incentive program to reward employees and contractors who get vaccinated. With employee safety top of mind, the company 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 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. “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.

“Since the start of the pandemic, EACOM has continued to operate safely while, at the same time, contributing to numerous efforts in the community,” said Éric Larouche, vice-president of human resources at EACOM. “I’m honoured to work for a company and with colleagues who have, collectively, donated half of their KN-95 masks to local health units facing shortages, offered money and food to help those who lost their livelihoods, gestures which were matched at the corporate level. We are fortunate to have operations in tight-knit communities, where people come together in times of crisis, and we try to do our part. The feedback and show of solidarity from our staff and partners across Quebec and Ontario has simply been overwhelming.”

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.