These companies are paying their employees to get vaccinated

February 23, 2021 1:32 PM

As the COVID-19 vaccine is made available to workers everywhere, employers are finding new ways to incentivize employees to get inoculated.

Trader Joe’s and Target are part of the most recent crop of businesses offering paid time off and flexible scheduling to motivate their staff to get vaccinated. The two most popular categories among employers considering incentives include PTO as well as cash and gifts, according to a survey by law firm Fisher Phillips.

As for the companies hesitating to follow suit, adhering to ADA guidelines is a top concern, the survey found. Out of 700 employers, 43% are unsure about whether to offer some form of incentive to those workers who receive the vaccine. Just 9% of employers plan to require vaccines, with the majority of organizations choosing to encourage vaccinations before employees return to work.

Despite doubt, data shows that compensation would greatly increase employees willingness to get vaccinated. One third of employees said they would complete the vaccination process for a $100 incentive or less, according to a study by Blackhawk Network.

“Incentives are powerful tools for driving desired behaviors,” Jeff Haughton, BlackHawk’s senior vice president of incentives, said in a release. “The key for businesses looking to increase vaccination rates and support public health will be ensuring they are offering incentives their target audiences find most valuable and attractive.”

Using incentives could also play a major role in driving vaccination rates up, the survey found. Half of respondents said it would encourage them to urge their family members to also get vaccinated.

Here’s a list of companies currently offering vaccine incentives:

Trader Joe's

The specialty grocery store chain is offering workers two hours of their regular pay for each dose of the COVID-19 vaccine they receive, as well as allowing employees to adjust their schedules to accommodate vaccine appointments.

Aldi

The discount grocery chain is offering its hourly employees up to four hours of pay —two for each vaccine. Salaried workers will receive flexible hours so they can be vaccinated.

Target

This retailer is offering its hourly employees up to four hours of pay to compensate for time off to be vaccinated. The company will also reimburse up to $15 each way for its workers who take Lyft to their vaccination appointments.

Chobani

The yogurt and dairy product maker will cover up to six hours of time for hourly employees to get vaccinated —three hours for each dose.

Dollar General

The retailer is offering its hourly workers four hours worth of regular pay after receiving the vaccination. Salaried employees will be provided with flexible hours to get vaccinated, if they choose to do so.

Amtrak

Amtrak is offering to pay employees the equivalent of two hours of regular wages upon proof of vaccination. The company is also allowing workers to take excused absences to recover from any side effects they might experience within 48 hours of receiving the shots.

McDonald's

The fast-food chain is offering workers at its corporate headquarters and its corporately-owned restaurants up to four hours of paid time off to get vaccinated.

Kroger

The grocery store chain announced it will offer employees a $100 bonus upon proof of inoculation. Employees who can’t get the COVID-19 vaccination for medical or religious reasons can earn the $100 bonus by completing an educational course.

Instacart

The grocery delivery service is offering eligible workers a $25 Vaccine Support stipend, intended to offset the wages they might lose during the time it takes to get vaccinated. Any active Instacart shopper who has filled at least five orders in the previous 30 days and can verify they’ve been vaccinated will be eligible to receive the stipend.

Lidl

The discount grocery chain is offering all of its employees $200 in extra pay if they get a COVID-19 vaccination. These workers also can request schedule flexibility to go to a vaccination appointment.