Target to Pay Workers to Get COVID-19 Vaccine, Joining Other Retailers

Target will offer its employees free transportation and pay for the time taken to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and Target-owned grocery delivery service Shipt will also offer stipends to its contract workers. All Target hourly employees who choose to get vaccinated will get up to four hours of pay — two hours for each dose — when they receive their vaccines, the Minneapolis retailer announced Wednesday. U.S. employees also will get free Lyft rides of up to $15 each way to their appointments. Target joins a growing list of retailers offering incentives for employees to get vaccinated. Dollar General announced last month it would give employees four hours of pay if they get the vaccine. Grocery chains Trader Joe's and Aldi have said they would also provide employees with two hours of pay for each dose. Grocery delivery service Instacart has said it will give a $25 stipend for workers who get the vaccine.

Total Retail's Take: Many hourly store employees have been on the front lines of this pandemic, working to keep shelves stocked at grocery stores and essential items available to consumers. It's appropriate that some of the essential retailers that have profited most from the pandemic, including Target, would ensure that its employees get access to the vaccine, and can do so without having to worry about lost work hours. Furthermore, ensuring the future health of its employees by advocating for getting the vaccine will help retailers such as Target, Dollar General, Aldi, and others like them to manage the surge in demand they have seen during the pandemic. Happier and healthier employees should lead to happier and healthier customers, in which case Target wins in the end.