Target announced they’ll give hourly employees paid time off to get their COVID-19 vaccinations and will even pay for their transportation to get the shots.
The company made the announcement in a post on its corporate website on Feb. 10 that outlines the details of the incentives. The free transportation for all U.S. team members is via Lyft for up to $15 each way, and Target will pay up to four hours — two hours for each dose — of extra pay.
“Taking care of our team has been at the heart of every decision we’ve made since the coronavirus started, and this point in the pandemic is no different,” chief human resources officer Melissa Kremer in the post. “As more vaccines become available, especially for frontline and essential workers, we’ll help our team members across the country get the information and access they need. As we have for the past year, we’ll continue to invest in our team’s pay and benefits so they can take care of themselves, each other, and our guests.”
Target has more than 350,000 part-time and full-time employees in the United States who are eligible for this incentive program, according to CNBC.
In addition to the announced incentives, Target also said it has plans to provide COVID-19 vaccine doses to its workers at CVS pharmacies. Working in concert with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state guidelines for vaccine eligibility and distribution, said it hopes to bring in vaccine doses to its more than 1,700 in-house CVS locations across the country as they become available for pharmacy staff.
While Target is providing these incentives for its employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine series, the company said receiving the shots will not be a requirement for employment.
Target is now part of a growing list of companies to offer employee incentives to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Other retailers, including Dollar General, Trader Joe’s, InstaCart and Aldi, also plan to provide various levels of paid time off or stipends to get vaccinated.
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Marie is a freelance writer and content creator with more than 20 years of experience in journalism. She lives in southwest Ohio with her husband and is almost a full-fledged empty nest mom of two daughters. She loves music, reading, word games, and Walt Disney World. You can find her writing about her personal health journey at marierossiter.substack.com and connect with her at marierossiter@gmail.com More.
