NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Atlantis will require all employees who are not vaccinated to pay for their own weekly rapid antigen test as of tomorrow.
Atlantis President and Managing Director Audrey Oswell advised in a statement to employees that those weekly tests will be at a cost of $16.50.
The company had announced the move earlier this year as other companies were seeking to implement the same measure.
“Some of you have decided not to get vaccinated and instead participate in weekly testing to ensure you
are healthy on the job,” Oswell said.
“As we have shared since July, Atlantis will not pay the cost of testing indefinitely. We also will not continue to encourage testing as an alternative to vaccination.
“Effective October 1, 2021, Atlantis joins many other Bahamian companies in requiring team members who
are not vaccinated to be financially responsible for their weekly rapid antigen test.
“We have secured a highly discounted rate of $16.50 a week for unvaccinated team members to receive this test.”
The company noted that employees can continue to schedule their test via the same link being utilized currently but will receive an email with instructions on paying for the test online.
“Shared responsibility means we all take necessary steps to protect one another, Atlantis and the country
we call home,” Oswell continued.
“This issue is more significant than any one individual or Atlantis — it impacts our family, friends, neighbors and the industry.
“Atlantis is proud to join with a growing number of Bahamas-based and international companies in taking the same approach in putting the community’s health and the economy first.”
Last month, the company launched a Vax for Cash incentive to encourage all of its team members to become fully vaccinated.
The incentive offers cash prizes for Atlantis team members who take the approved AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.
Through October 1, eight Atlantis team members who are either partially or fully vaccinated can enter to win a cash prize of $1,000, $500 or $250 in random drawings held weekly on property.
The government has continuously insisted that vaccination remains voluntary.
However, the requirement to take a COVID-19 test is well within the purview of the employer.
Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union (BHCAWU) President Darrin Woods has repeatedly expressed concern that the COVID-19 pandemic is being used as a means to alter the terms and conditions of employment for hotel workers.
Yesterday, he said the position of the union on the matter has not changed.
“The health and safety act is clear that this is something that cannot be passed onto the employees,” Woods said.
“…We don’t expect for employees to be asked to pay or be made to pay for a test that is only required for travel.”
He said the union has been discussing the matter for the past four weeks and was advised that they were pushing back the initiative.
“We believe it was politically motivated to push it back after the election,” Woods added.
He said he has spoken with recently appointed Director of Labour Robert Farquharson and has been trying to no avail to get in contact with the newly sworn-in Minister of Labour Keith Bell to find out the government’s position.
On the campaign trail, Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis pledged that free COVID testing would be part of his party’s action plan if elected to govern the nation.
Woods noted yesterday that the union is prepared to do whatever is necessary to ensure the rights of workers are protected.
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