Houston Methodist is offering its employees a $500 "hope bonus" if they meet several eligibility criteria, including getting a COVID-19 vaccination, President and CEO Marc Boom, MD, said in a December email to employees, which was shared with Becker's Hospital Review.
Workers can look forward to the bonus in early March, according to the email.
"This bonus is a thank you for your perseverance throughout a difficult 2020 as well as something to look forward to, to provide hope, during the next couple of challenging months," wrote Dr. Boom.
Houston Methodist said eligibility criteria for the bonus will include getting the vaccine, and the human resources division will notify employees of the additional criteria soon.
"Vaccination is not mandatory for our employees yet (but will be eventually), but we recognize the vital importance of all of us getting vaccinated to protect our patients, our community, ourselves and our family and friends," Dr. Boom wrote. "Further discussion is ongoing about the small number of employees who cannot safely get the vaccine."
The "hope bonus" news comes less than two months after Houston Methodist recognized employees with a "you rock" bonus for their commitment during the pandemic.
Houston Methodist, an eight-hospital system, has about 26,000 employees.