Hershey Fires Unvaccinated Employees
The Hershey Co. has begun firing office workers who have declined to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
On the way out the door, the candy manufacturer is asking the fired employees to sign a nine-page confidentiality and release agreement that would remove their rights to sue the company or talk about their experience.
While their signature comes with a “special separation payment,” many haven’t signed the agreement and won’t get the money. Employees say the payment was determined by an algorithm, and for some, amounted to just over two months’ pay.
By most accounts, working at Hershey was a great job. Employees at the company’s headquarters in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and at offices in other states report higher than average wages and bowls of candy placed around the offices for snacking. For holidays, employees would get a big bag of treats to take home, although that practice stopped after Easter 2021. There’s a sample room for trying new products, colorful graphics decorating the walls, and the products are more fun than selling insurance.
