Carhartt Responds to Vaccine Mandate Controversy

Clothing brand Carhartt, which primarily makes outdoor work clothes, caused a firestorm when a leaked email from its CEO saying that the company’s vaccine mandate would remain in place was circulated online.

Carhartt CEO Matt Valade’s email, sent Friday, said:

“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. 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. 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.”

The company is based in Detroit.

Tuesday, it responded to the criticism, and it is not backing down.

“Carhartt made the decision to implement its own vaccine mandate 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,” company spokeswoman Amy Hellebuyck told The Michigan Star.

“Carhartt fully understands and respects the varying opinions on this topic, and we are aware some of our associates do not support this policy,” she said. “However, we stand behind our decision because we believe vaccines are necessary to protect our workforce.”

Last week, the Supreme Court ruled against mandatory vaccines for companies with more than 100 employees.

Carhartt was among the nation’s top 10 Twitter trends for much of the day Tuesday, mostly facing criticism from conservatives.

“Wow [Carhartt] is subjecting their employees to medical abuse. Very bad look. Definitely should stop buying their products if you do,” Blaze reporter Elijah Schaffer said.

“I spend thousands a year on [Carhartt] hoodies, jackets & winter gear. Today that ends. I guess I am looking for alternatives. Seriously, this is insane given their target market. I am done purchasing any of their stuff and giving them thousands in free advertising,” a Twitter account called TheQuartering, which boasts more than 150,000 followers, said. 

But some known liberals chimed in too, chastising the company’s mandate.

Well-known left-leaning podcaster Tim Pool said Carhartt’s employees should quit, adding some vulgarity in his messaging.

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Pete D’Abrosca is a contributor at The Michigan Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Carhartt overalls” by Carhartt.

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