Publix said on Friday that it would give a $ 125 gift card from Publix to each of its more than 225,000 employees vaccinated against COVID-19. The supermarket chain is the latest major employer to offer employees an incentive to immunize themselves against a virus that killed more than 495,000 Americans.
Gift cards are being offered to current employees who submit an internal form and proof of vaccination, the Lakeland, Fla.-Based company said. Publix said it is encouraging, but does not require workers to be vaccinated.
“We care about our associates and customers and believe that vaccination can help us take a step closer to returning to normal,” said Publix CEO Todd Jones in a press release. “We are encouraging our members to be vaccinated when they become eligible and doses are available.”
Publix operates 1,266 stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, along with nine distribution centers and 11 factories.
No access for many
Despite the incentives, vaccination may be easier said than done for the country’s 3 million grocery workers, as they are not at the front of the line when it comes to prioritizing who is vaccinated. Only 13 states – California, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia – have started vaccinating supermarket workers, according to United Food and Commercial Workers, which represents 800,000 U.S. grocery workers.
“Essential workers in supermarkets and slaughterhouses are not being prioritized for access to the vaccine in many states and continue to face delays that further put their health at risk,” said Marc Perrone, the union’s international president in a statement. “Simply put, failures in the initial distribution of the vaccine under the previous administration have left millions of Americans and essential workers defenseless.”
There have been 137 deaths of grocery workers due to COVID-19, according to the UFCW, and more than 30,100 grocery workers have been infected or exposed.
Carrots instead of sticks
Publix’s move comes two days later Tyson Foods – the largest poultry producer in the country – offered its 12,000 workers up to four hours of regular pay if they are vaccinated outside their regular shift or through an outside source. Others that offer up to four hours of extra pay for taking pictures include Aldi, Darden Restaurants, Dollar General, McDonald’s and Target.
Target, with 350,000 workers, also said it would cover Lyft travel of up to $ 15 to get to and from vaccination appointments.
Yogurt maker Chobani is paying workers for up to six hours to be vaccinated, while Amtrak is spending $ 3 million to give employees the equivalent of two hours of extra pay once they demonstrate that they have been vaccinated.
Kroger, the country’s largest supermarket chain, and meat processing company JBS are offering workers $ 100 to be vaccinated. Lidl, which runs 125 supermarkets in nine states, is offering $ 200 to employees who receive the vaccine; Petco is offering its 26,000 workers $ 75 and Instacart’s grocery delivery service is offering $ 25.
The idea of giving potentially reluctant employees a financial incentive to be vaccinated also extends to the medical industry. In Texas, the Houston Methodist plans to give its 26,000 workers an extra $ 500 next month, provided they get vaccinated.
Employers can generally require workers to be vaccinated as they must ensure a safe workplace in which “an individual should not pose a direct threat to the health or safety of individuals in the workplace,” according to the Employment Opportunities Commission. Employment Equality.