Carhartt, the popular United States manufacturer of durable work gear, sent an e-mail to its 5,500 workers notifying them that they had to receive the COVID-19 vaccine by February 15 in order to continue working for the company. The announcement came a day after the recent United States Supreme Court decision which effectively ended President Joe Biden’s private-sector vaccine mandate for large employers nationwide.
Carhartt CEO Mark Valade sent an email stating that all employees had to be vaccinated by February 15, or find a new job.
“We put workplace safety at the very top of our priority list and the Supreme Court’s recent ruling doesn’t impact that core value,” the email said, according to MarketWatch.
“We, and the medical community, continue to believe vaccines are necessary to ensure a safe working environment for every associate and even perhaps their households,” Valade continued. “While we appreciate that there may be differing views, workplace safety is an area where we and the union that represents our associates cannot compromise. An unvaccinated workforce is both a people and business risk that our company is unwilling to take.”
In response to the e-mail, several Twitter users called for a boycott of Carhartt.
“How about this If you don’t want to get vaccinated and you work at Carhartt F***ing quit F** ’em,” popular podcaster Tim Pool tweeted.
How about this
If you don't want to get vaccinated and you work at Carhartt
Fucking quit
Fuck 'em
— Tim Pool (@Timcast) January 18, 2022
“I spend thousands a year on @Carhartt hoodies, jackets & winter gear. Today that ends. I guess I am looking for alternatives,” Jeremy Hambly, a YouTube commentator with more than 25,000 followers, tweeted. “Seriously, this is insane given their target market. I am done purchasing any of their stuff and giving them thousands in free advertising.”
“Their cloths (sic) are literally part of my brand. 15-20 MILLION views a month wearing their brand. Done,” he added. “Ordering all new stuff tomorrow.”
Their cloths are literally part of my brand. 15-20 MILLION views a month wearing their brand. Done. Ordering all new stuff tomorrow.
— TheQuartering (@TheQuartering) January 18, 2022
TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk tweeted, “Carhartt is betraying their entire customer base of hard-working Americans by forcing unconstitutional Medical Tyranny on their employees, despite the Supreme Court’s ruling. Stop buying @Carhartt until they reverse course – this is unacceptable.”
Carhartt is betraying their entire customer base of hard-working Americans by forcing unconstitutional Medical Tyranny on their employees, despite the Supreme Court's ruling. Stop buying @Carhartt until they reverse course – this is unacceptable.
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) January 18, 2022
In a statement provided to The Washington Post, a spokesperson for the company defended the decision, again reiterating they would be firing unvaccinated employees in the name of COVID-19 safety:
Carhartt spokeswoman Amy Hellebuyck confirmed to The Washington Post on Tuesday that Valade sent the internal email to employees “as part of our long-standing commitment to workplace safety.”
“Our recent communication to employees was to reinforce that the Supreme Court ruling does not affect the mandate we put in place,” she said in a statement. “Carhartt fully understands and respects the varying opinions on this topic, and we are aware some of our associates do not support this policy. However, we stand behind our decision because we believe vaccines are necessary to protect our workforce.”
Last week, the Supreme Court blocked the Biden administration’s emergency rule that would have forced large employers to require their employees to get vaccinated or test regularly in a major victory for the mandate’s critics, including The Daily Wire, which sued the Biden administration in November. Since then, several private companies have dropped their vaccine mandate.