Canadian ice cream company Chapman’s has now raised the hourly wage of unvaccinated workers by one dollar, months after doing the same for fully vaccinated employees.
Both categories of workers now earn the same wages regardless of vaccination status.
In November, the Markdale, Ont. company gave fully vaccinated employees a raise to allegedly offset costs of rapid testing for their unvaccinated coworkers.
“The $1 difference in pay was to offset the costs of rapid testing for unvaccinated employees, as those expenses were covered by the company,” said company COO Ashley Chapman.
“Since the rapid testing program was modified at the end of the fifth Covid wave, all unvaccinated employees have been given the $1 raise.”
Chapman recently took to the media to dismiss claims by some that the company had fired its unvaccinated workers.
She called the criticisms “misinformed” and clarified that employees had to take rapid tests twice a week and wear plastic face shields to stay on the job if they decided to remain unvaccinated. Those who refused to abide by the safety measures were placed on unpaid leave.
According to Chapman, the new measures cost the company $50 per unvaccinated worker.
“Being accused of segregation, medical fascism and some other insane things that people have been calling us, it just seems sad, to be honest with you,” said Chapman.
“They’ve told us we are violating the Geneva Convention and treating them as second-class citizens, which is exactly what we were trying not to do.”
The company had originally claimed the exclusive raise for vaccinated workers was a reward for having “done the right thing” by getting the COVID-19 shots.
“It just seemed wrong we were spending that for the small amount of people who hadn’t gotten vaccinated, when we feel the people who did the right thing should be rewarded. Because it was also a bit of a slap in the face for them,” said Chapman.
As a private company, Chapman’s was not obligated to institute a vaccine mandate by provincial or federal governments.
