As vaccinations continue across the
“Our goal with the introduction of our new vaccine support stipend is to ensure that, when the time comes, Instacart shoppers don’t have to choose between earning income as an essential service provider or getting vaccinated,” Instacart CEO
A vaccine advisory panel at the
It is up to each state to decide how and when to adopt the CDC’s recommendations. Some states have already opened eligibility to the second group, which also includes firefighters, police, teachers, corrections workers, postal employees and people 75 and older. There are around 50 million people in that group.
Companies can mandate that workers get COVID-19 vaccines as a requirement for employment, although they must make accommodations for medical or religious reasons, according to guidance from the federal
However, most companies are reluctant to impose such mandates, said
Still, Masling said the companies she works with are taking various steps to strongly encourage their workers to get vaccinated, including internal public relations campaigns showing top executives who are eligible getting the shots. Other incentives include free child care, paid time off and freebies like pizza delivery and other gifts, she said.
“It’s good for employees, it’s good for their communities and its good for ensuring the continuation of business operations,” Masling said.
The push to vaccinate comes amid signs that some people — even health care workers — are reluctant to get the shots, contributing to a slower than hoped-for rollout of the mass vacation effort in the
Not every company is offering incentives. Delivery app
Albertsons, a grocery chain with 2,250
Many large companies have faced criticism over how they have treated their employees throughout the pandemic, from shoddy sick leave policies to poor working conditions inside factories and warehouses. Companies from meatpacking plants to Amazon have grappled with worker absences and outbreaks that have forced temporary shutdowns of their factories and warehouses. There is also a looming debate in
Those challenges provide a strong incentive for companies to get their workers vaccinated and put the pandemic behind them, said
“A lot of them have had to defend their reputations in terms of how they are treating their employees throughout the pandemic,” Boudreau said.
Instacart is among several companies that have lobbied for their workers to be prioritized for vaccines. The company has faced criticism and some worker unrest over allegations that it not done enough to protect its gig workers, who don’t get health insurance through the company or guaranteed paid sick leave.
The company says it has distributed 620,000 free safety kits to its workers, including face masks and hand sanitizers. It introduced a new policy in March to provide 14 days of paid leave for gig workers who are diagnosed with COVID-19 or have been ordered to quarantine because of potential exposure.
Workers and rights group said that still wasn’t enough to discourage people with symptoms to stay home. The company later started providing telemedicine appointments for workers who have COVID-19 symptoms.
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission., source