Target to Pay Workers to Get COVID-19 Vaccine ... But Vaccines Not Yet Available in Its Stores

Target has joined a growing list of retailers offering to pay employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19, saying it will provide up to four hours of pay (two hours per dose) for hourly team members who get vaccinated.

Unlike bigger rivals in the grocery space, namely Walmart and Kroger, Target is not yet a player in administering COVID-19 vaccines. CVS Pharmacy locations inside Target stores do not yet have the vaccine, although Target said in a news release that CVS "will evaluate these locations for offering the vaccine to our team members and guests in the future." CVS has more than 1,700 locations in Target stores nationwide.

Target will also pay hourly workers for transportation to vaccine sites—up to $15 each way for Lyft rides. "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," Melissa Kremer, Target's chief human resources officer, said in a release. "As more vaccines become available, especially for front-line and essential workers, we’ll help our team members across the country get the information and access they need."

Kroger announced Feb. 6 that it will provide a one-time $100 bonus to all associates who get fully vaccinated against COVID-19 plus $100 in store credits and extra fuel points to hourly workers who do so. Aldi, Lidl and Dollar General also are providing financial incentives to workers who receive the vaccine. Walmart is not currently incentivizing workers to get vaccinated.

Federally supplied direct shipments of COVID-19 vaccines to select pharmacies nationwide began rolling out Feb. 11. CVS, like drugstore rival Walgreens, is one of the participating partners in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program—as are Walmart, Kroger, Albertsons, Meijer, Hy-Vee and a host of other regional grocery players—but the Biden administration noted in announcing the program that vaccines won't be available in all states in which these partner pharmacies operate during the program's initial phase.