Marriott International has created the Vaccination Care Program, which will provide a financial award to U.S. and Canadian associates at its managed properties who get vaccinated for COVID-19. Employees will receive the equivalent of four hours of pay upon completion of the vaccination.
The company supports global vaccination efforts to help bring the devastating COVID-19 pandemic under control. To encourage its associates to get vaccinated, it is also providing education on the benefits of vaccination and directing leaders to allow for schedule flexibility for vaccination appointments. Although the company is strongly encouraging associates get vaccinated, vaccination is not mandated.
“The health and safety of our people is our top priority,” said Dr. David Rodriguez, global chief human resources officer at Marriott International. “Our goal for the Vaccination Care Program is to remove potential obstacles to getting vaccinated so our associates can put their health first and have peace of mind. Marriott International is confident that vaccination is a key measure, along with mask wearing, social distancing and stepped-up cleanliness protocols and hygiene practices in minimizing the spread of COVID-19. As vaccines become more widely available, this will create a safer environment for all associates, and we believe that consumer confidence to travel again will increase significantly and help the rebound of the travel and tourism sector. We appreciate the support from our managed hotel owners and encourage the industry and our franchisees to offer flexibility and incentives to their associates as a vital step in our industry’s recovery.”
In April 2020, to elevate its cleanliness standards and hospitality norms and behaviors to meet the new health and safety challenges presented by the current pandemic environment, Marriott International created the Marriott Global Cleanliness Council to tackle the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic at the hotel level and further advance the company’s efforts in this area. The council is focused on developing the next level of global hospitality cleanliness standards, norms and behaviors that are designed to minimize risk and enhance safety for consumers and Marriott associates alike.
Marriott International sees the broad distribution and adoption of vaccines—for travelers and industry employees—as key drivers of economic recovery. Recent research indicates that half of consumers in the U.S. see vaccine distribution as key to travel. For many consumers, vaccination is a gating factor to their ability to confidently get back on the road for leisure or business travel.