St. John's Health in Jackson Hole, Wyo., said its board of trustees has approved a bonus program to reward employees who have already received the COVID-19 vaccine and incentivize those who haven't.
The program was approved April 16. To qualify, employees must complete both vaccine doses by May 31, spokesperson Karen Connelly told Becker's. Employees will receive the bonus in June. The bonus is $600 for full-time employees and will be prorated for employees who don't work full time.
"At St. John's, we believe in the science that COVID vaccines are vital to our path away from the devastation of this disease," said Ms. Connelly. "We want to help our community and visitors return to the life they love as safely as possible. We want to model vaccination compliance for our community and keep our hospital as safe as possible for our staff and patients."
She also said Jackson Hole is a popular destination for visitors, and community economic dashboards and national trends indicate a busy summer season.
"The timing of the bonus is a push to help our community be prepared for a safe and successful summer," said Ms. Connelly.
St. John's has 880 eligible employees. The hospital's vaccination rate among employees was 74 percent as of April 16, CEO Will Wagnon told the St. John's board, according to Jackson Hole Daily.