Retail Works to Vaccinate America
As essential workers on the frontlines throughout the coronavirus pandemic, retail workers are an important part of our nation’s vaccination campaign. Working with our member companies, RILA is advocating for equitable and efficient access to vaccines as a key component to getting our economy back on track.
Retailers Offers Insights for Vaccine Mandate Guidance
60-Day Implementation for Vaccine Mandate Insufficient
Leading retailers will continue to operate our stores with a focus on providing a safe and welcoming environment for all our employees and customers.
Read MoreRetailers Detail Operational Questions for Vaccine Mandates
Retailers highlight the considerable operational challenges of implementing a vaccine mandate for retailers, an industry that supports more than 50 million jobs.
Read MoreDiscover some of the ways our members are offering resources and support to both their employees and communities.
Walmart Reflects on COVID-19 Vaccination Successes and Learnings with One-Year Vaccine Report
Walmart recently released its One-Year Vaccine report that outlines the company's all-hands-on-deck approach to fighting the pandemic and keeping our communities safe and healthy. Walmart's approach has focused on meeting people where they are and proving that all health care is local.
Over the past year, Walmart has administered tens of millions of vaccines across the country, with 80% being delivered in medically underserved communities as classified by the HRSA. Walmart's first patient vaccination was administered on December 21, 2020, and within eight weeks, more than 1,000 Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacies began administering COVID-19 vaccines in 22 states through the U.S. Federal Retail Pharmacy Program. Efforts have since grown to encompass 51 states and territories and more than 5,100 retail locations in the U.S., making access as easy as possible for those who want to get vaccinated.
Learn more about Walmart's successes and learnings over the past year here.
Dollar General Removes Barriers for Frontline Workers to Get COVID-19 Vaccine
Dollar General is providing frontline hourly team members with a one-time payment equivalent of four (4) hours of regular pay after receiving a completed COVID-19 vaccination and salaried team members with additional store labor hours to accommodate their time away from the store. They're also working with our distribution and transportation teams to make similar accommodations for those teams.
"We felt the right thing to do was to break down these barriers to vaccination,” said Todd Vasos, Dollar General’s chief executive, adding that he didn’t want expenses associated with child care, transit or lost work hours to keep workers from getting shots. “We believe as the vaccine continues to gain momentum that we’ve got to get it to rural America,” Mr. Vasos said. About 75% of Dollar General stores are in rural areas or small towns.
Todd Vasos
- Chief Executive Officer
- Dollar General
Columbia Sportswear Company Encourages Employees to Get Vaccinated, Volunteer
In addition to encouraging employees to get vaccinated at the earliest opportunity, Columbia Sportswear Company has been encouraging employees to volunteer at mass vaccination sites throughout the community.Tractor Supply to Pay Team Members to Get COVID-19 Vaccination
Tractor Supply Company, the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the United States, announced that it will provide a one-time payment of $50 and allow time off as needed for all Team Members who elect to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. To further alleviate the barriers to receiving a vaccine, the Company has partnered with a third-party provider to facilitate onsite vaccination clinics at its eight distribution centers and Store Support Center upon approval and availability.
Lidl Offers $200 for Employees to Get Vaccinated
Lidl US now offering a new initiative that provides $200 in extra pay to all U.S. employees who choose to receive the vaccine. The additional payment aims to offset the costs associated with vaccine administration, including travel costs and child care.
“We are proud to provide our employees the resources they need to receive the COVID-19 vaccine free of any obstacles. From the outset of the pandemic, we have worked hard to put the health and safety of our employees first. We are proud to do so again today to ensure that every team member who wants to get vaccinated is able to do so as soon as possible.”
Johannes Fieber
- CEO
- Lidl US
Walgreens Now Administering COVID-19 Vaccinations in 49 States, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico
Walgreens is now administering COVID-19 vaccines at a majority of its stores in 49 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, as the company continues to play an integral role in the nation’s vaccination and pandemic response efforts. With the initiative to vaccinate residents and staff in long-term care facilities nearly complete, close to 60,000 immunizers are now administering vaccinations at more than 7,000 Walgreens stores and through off-site clinics. The company has administered more than 11 million COVID-19 vaccinations to date.Target Helping Frontline Team Members and Underserved Communities Get the COVID-19 Vaccine — Here’s How
Target is providing up to four hours of pay (two hours for each vaccine dose) to their hourly team members when they get their vaccines. They’ll also provide all U.S. team members with free Lyft rides (up to $15 each way) to get to and from their appointments if they need it. All of this on top of their work to ensure the vaccines remain free and easy for all team members — even though they don’t plan to require it for them to come to work.And as the COVID-19 pandemic continues and the vaccine rollout gains momentum, Target is teaming up with local, national and global organizations and investing $5 million to help more communities have access to a COVID-19 vaccine. The company is contributing $1 million to local and national nonprofits offering access to free and discounted rides to vaccination appointments through Lyft’s Universal Vaccine Access campaign, which is mobilizing a coalition of partners to provide underserved communities access to rides to and from vaccination sites. In addition, Target is giving $2.5 million to trusted local community organizations across the country to better support vaccination efforts directly in the neighborhoods they serve, and $1 million toward the Ad Council and COVID Collaborative’s effort to educate the public and build confidence around the vaccines, particularly within communities of color.
“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. 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.”
Melissa Kremer
- Chief Human Resources Officer
- Target
CVS Health surpasses 10 million COVID-19 vaccine doses administered
CVS Health has surpassed 10 million COVID-19 vaccine doses administered through its participation in the Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program and Federal Retail Pharmacy Program. The company is now administering vaccines in nearly 2,000 stores across 44 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C., with the pace of vaccinations expected to rapidly accelerate as more supply becomes available. CVS Pharmacy has the capacity to administer up to 25 million shots per month.Petco Health and Wellness Company Inc. to Provide Covid-19 Vaccination Payment for Partners
Petco Health and Wellness Company, Inc., a complete partner in pet health and wellness, will provide a one-time $75 payment to each partner who completes a Covid-19 vaccination program as it becomes available. For each partner that gets fully vaccinated, Petco will also contribute $25 to the Petco Partner Assistance Fund, which provides assistance to employees experiencing financial hardship.
"As part of our mission to improve the lives of pets, pet parents and our Petco partners, we are committed to protecting the health, safety and well-being of our partners, guests and the communities we serve. We strongly encourage all of our over 26,000 partners to get vaccinated as soon as they are eligible."
Ron Coughlin
- Chairman and CEO
- Petco
Publix Offers Associates Gift Cards After Completing Full COVID-19 Vaccination
Publix announced it will offer its associates a $125 Publix gift card after they complete the full COVID-19 vaccination. Although not required, the company is encouraging its associates to get the vaccine. Associates are not required to be vaccinated at a Publix Pharmacy to receive the gift card.
“We care about our associates and customers and believe getting vaccinated can help us take one step closer to getting back to normal. We’re encouraging our associates to get vaccinated when they become eligible and doses are available.”
Todd Jones
- CEO
- Publix
Kroger Announces New Vaccine Payment for All Associates
The Kroger Co. Family of Companies announced that it will provide a one-time payment of $100 to all associates who receive the full manufacturer-recommended doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.In addition to the new vaccine payment, the company also announced an additional $50 million investment to thank and reward associates across its 35-state footprint, including a $100 store credit and 1,000 fuel points for hourly frontline grocery, supply chain, manufacturing, pharmacy and call center associates. Both rewards will be loaded to associates' loyalty cards on Thursday, Feb. 11.
"We know that the most effective defense against this pandemic comes in the form of the COVID-19 vaccine and the continuation of the rigorous safety precautions we've established across our stores, manufacturing facilities and supply chain. We are strongly encouraging all customers and associates to receive the vaccine to curb the spread of COVID-19, and we'll do all we can to ensure they have access as soon as it's available."
Dr. Marc Watkins
- Chief Medical Officer
- Kroger
Best Buy Offers Vaccine Benefit To All, Gives Bonuses To Hourly Employees
Best Buy is offering paid time off for any employee who gets a COVID-19 vaccination, as well as additional sick time if side effects from getting vaccinated. Best Buy is not requiring employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine, but strongly encourages them to consider doing so for their safety and the safety of loved ones and co-workers.
Part-time employees will receive four hours, and full-time employees will get eight hours. The time will be provided after vaccination has been verified. This is not time off to get the vaccination, it’s to use how employees want afterward.
AutoZone Incentivizes AutoZoners To Get A COVID-19 Vaccine
AutoZone, Inc., announces an incentive to encourage AutoZoners to get a COVID-19 vaccine. AutoZoners will receive an additional $100 after completing their COVID-19 vaccination. To date, AutoZone has invested more than $125 million to help AutoZoners deal with the challenges caused by COVID-19.
As a company, we are removing any potential work-related barriers, strongly encouraging, and incentivizing AutoZoners to get a COVID-19 vaccine when they are eligible. Supporting AutoZoners is more than what we do, it is who we are,” said Bill Rhodes, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Customer Satisfaction.
Bill Rhodes
- Chairman, President and CEO
- AutoZone
PetSmart Vaccination Incentives to Support Our Teams
Our associates are truly at the heart of who we are, and we’re proud of the ways they have gone above and beyond to serve pet parents during these challenging times.
To recognize their service and commitment, we have significantly invested in additional compensation to our front-line associates since the pandemic began. This includes special thank-you bonuses, payment of healthcare premiums, and other healthcare benefits. We also made a $1 million contribution to the longstanding PetSmart Associate Assistance Foundation (PAAF) which supports front-line workers facing personal or financial hardships.
We are confident a vaccinated population is a safer one for us all. To provide support for associates who wish to get the vaccine, PetSmart is offering $100 to each fully vaccinated associate in the U.S. and Puerto Rico to help offset the potential costs, time and resources necessary to receive their vaccination, such as transportation or childcare costs.
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Thank You Retail Workers
