Companies give workers free time and extra money to get vaccinated against Covid-19.
Instacart online grocery delivery service announced on Thursday a Covid-19 vaccine support scholarship, which provides $ 25 for on-duty customers, in-store shoppers and full-service shoppers who get vaccinated from the February 1st.
The idea is to make sure that “Instacart buyers don’t have to choose between earning revenue as an essential service provider or getting vaccinated,” Apoorva Mehta, founder and CEO of Instacart, said in a statement.
Mehta also advocates that in-store shoppers hired independently of Instacart have priority access to the vaccine. (While it is recommended that grocery store workers be included in phase 1b of vaccination, the government does not recognize Instacart shoppers as essential workers)
Even with scheduled appointments, some people eligible for the vaccine have experienced lines and waits in many states.
Trader Joe’s popular grocery store chain will reimburse employees for two hours of pay per dose of the vaccine received and will take steps to ensure that “crew members” (employees responsible for jobs such as working cash registers, receiving and unloading deliveries, storing them) shelves, building exhibits, floor cleaning, etc.) have time to make an appointment, Trader Joe spokesman Kenya Friend-Daniel told CNBC Make It.
Dollar General also announced Wednesday that it would give a one-time payment equal to four hours of pay to first-hour team members after being vaccinated. According to a statement, the salaried team will also be provided with accommodation to compensate for the time spent receiving the vaccine.
From a legal perspective, employers may require employees to be vaccinated before returning to work, as long as they allow reasonable accommodations for those with medical problems or religious exemptions.
While these retailers do not require employees to be vaccinated, programs like this can encourage people to get the vaccine so they feel safer at work. According to Pew data released in December, 60% of Americans say they would definitely or probably get a coronavirus vaccine.
Robert Litan, an economist affiliated with the Brookings Institution, told NPR that granting people cash payments to get vaccinated from the federal government would encourage people to get the vaccine. (Of course, this would theoretically cost funding hundreds of billions of dollars to the government).
Dr. Anthony Fauci, a leading national expert on infectious diseases, has said that 80% of the population needs to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity.
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