NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Bridgestone Americas Corp. will provide $100 to U.S.-based employees who choose to get the COVID-19 vaccine, as a "support payment" to remove barriers such as missing work, childcare or transportation.
Bridgestone said it employs more than 33,000 in the U.S. The program is voluntary.
The tire maker hopes to offer a comparable program to employees in Canada and Latin America as vaccines become more widely available.
"Throughout the pandemic, our employees have done an extraordinary job working to keep each other safe, while also finding innovative ways to serve our customers and communities," Paolo Ferrari, CEO, president and COO of Bridgestone Americas said in a statement. "As we now move into vaccine distribution, the well-being and safety of all Bridgestone employees remains the company's most important value, and we are committed to providing educational resources and support for employees to make an informed decision about the vaccine."
The company said it will continue to promote its COVID-19 education and outreach to employees, including the latest informational materials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and reminders about the importance of social distancing, mask use and increased handwashing.
Bridgestone Americas, headquartered in Nashville, has a U.S. presence that includes 16 tire and retread manufacturing facilities and research and development centers in Akron and Fishers, Ind. It also operates more than 2,200 company-owned tire and automotive service centers.
