Saint-Gobain offers bonus for vaccinated

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The Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics logo.

Aiming to go the extra mile in protecting its employees and communities across the United States, Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics is offering a $500 incentive for all employees who are or become fully vaccinated to COVID-19.

Granville plant manager Chris McGlynn said this effort by Saint-Gobain is an example of attempting to assist and protect both Saint-Gobain employees and the communities in which those employees live.

“It’s a way to ensure another layer of safety for our employees,” McGlynn said in a Sept. 7 phone call. “Using the information and educational tools we have, it’s really promoting that.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognizes an individual as “fully vaccinated” two weeks after receiving the second dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, or two weeks following the single dose of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine.

Coincidentally, the manufacturing company with more than 150 locations in North America made the decision to introduce the promotion on the same day the Pfizer vaccine was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Carrie Armenio, human resources manager for Saint-Gobain’s Granville plant, agreed with McGlynn’s sentiments of being proud to work for a company that is taking part in encouraging its employees to protect themselves and others.

“I was really proud of us taking this initiative, especially from a North America standpoint,” Armenio said.

“Anything we can add to the toolbox to get out of this 18-month cycle… we’ll support it,” McGlynn said.

According to the CDC, as of Sept. 7, there have been 40,085,811 cases of COVID-19 in the United States since Jan. 21, 2020 and 889,701 active cases in the last seven days.

As of Sept. 6, there are 109 total active COVID-19 cases in Washington County in the last seven days, with the county being designated as a “high” level of community transmission.

McGlynn said Saint-Gobain has dealt with positive confirmed COVID-19 cases among employees over the last year and a half. He is happy the situation has not been able to spiral out of control and prevent operation.

“We’ve had some people that have been impacted by it, but fortunately, the protocols we’ve put in place have prevented it from causing a massive outbreak (within the factory),” McGlynn said.

Employees have until Nov. 30 to show proof of receiving both dosages of the vaccine to gain the $500 bonus. If an employee was fully vaccinated prior to the incentive, they also received the $500 incentive upon verifying their vaccination status through a third-party’s portal.

Armenio said the verification process took roughly one minute to complete and he would like to see other companies follow the lead of Saint-Gobain.

“We’re hopeful it will convince people that this is the right thing to do for their company,” Armenio said. “There are people (at Saint-Gobain) who are taking advantage of it… We’re putting our money where our mouth is.”

Saint-Gobain is hoping to lock down a day in October to host an on-site vaccination clinic for its employees, and possibly community members.

In the meantime, “pop-up” vaccination clinics will be held at various school districts in Washington County on Thursdays in September from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The clinics will be open to those calling in advance at 518-746-2400 or to walk-ins pending on availability.

Hartford Central School at 4704 State Route 149 will host on Sept. 16, followed by Greenwich Central School at 10 Gray Avenue on Sept. 23 and Whitehall Central School at 87 Buckley Avenue on Sept. 30.

The Hartford and Whitehall based clinics are for individuals receiving their first dosage, while the Greenwich clinic is for individuals receiving either their first or second dose. A third dose and/or booster shot will not be provided at these clinics and the available vaccines at the clinics are Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine or the Pfizer vaccine.