Target Is Paying Its Frontline Workers To Get The COVID Vaccine

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Target on Wednesday announced that it will pay its frontline workers up to four hours of pay for time spent getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

The company is even paying for Lyft rides to and from appointments.

In a statement, the retail chain said it wants to “ensure the vaccines remain free and easy for all team members – even though we don’t plan to require it for them to come to work.”

“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,” said Melissa Kremer, Target chief human resources officer. “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.”

Not everyone is currently eligible to receive the vaccine, though. In Utah, for example, only those age 70 and older and health care workers are able to get immunized. Beginning March 1, the age for eligibility will drop to 65, and people who have certain underlying medical conditions will become eligible for the vaccine.

“We’re encouraging team members, once they’re eligible, to get the vaccine where and how they can — whether that’s through their local pharmacy, clinic, healthcare provider or a state or city-run event,” according to Target’s statement. “And, we’re also working with our longstanding partner CVS which has more than 1,700 locations in Target stores nationwide. Once states determine final timing and prioritization for frontline and essential workers and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services allocates vaccines for the public, CVS will evaluate these locations for offering the vaccine to our team members and guests in the future.”