TENNESSEE (AP) – As COVID-19 vaccinations continue in the United States, some companies are providing financial incentives to encourage workers to get fired.
Dollar General is one of the first major companies to announce the overpayment for vaccinated workers. The retailer in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, which operates nearly 17,000 stores in 46 states, said Wednesday it would give employees the equivalent of four hours’ pay if they receive the vaccine.
Dollar General said the extra payment is intended to offset the travel time, mileage and childcare expenses that employees will incur to receive the vaccine.
“We don’t want our employees to have to choose between getting a vaccine or coming to work,” Dollar General said.
The retailer said he encourages workers to receive vaccines, but does not require them. In its annual report in February last year, the company said it has 143,000 employees.
A vaccination advisory group at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control voted late last month on recommendations for vaccine distribution. The panel said food workers – which would include Dollar General employees – should be in the second group to be shot after health workers and nursing home residents.
Firefighters, police, teachers, correctional workers, postal employees and others are part of that second group, along with people aged 75 and over. There are about 50 million people in that group.
Vaccine distribution in Utah will be managed at the county level, which means that each resident’s experience will be different depending on where they live. More information can be found here.
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