Instacart offers $25 stipend for shoppers who take the COVID-19 vaccine
The company plans to provide the independent contractors making up its workforce $25 each for taking time away from shopping to get vaccinated.
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Instacart plans to provide a small piece of financial support to its workforce of independent contractors as they take time to get vaccinated against COVID-19, the company announced Thursday. Specifically, the grocery delivery service will offer $25 per person for shift leads and any full-time or in-store shopper who gets the vaccine once it becomes available.
Today we’re announcing a COVID-19 Vaccine Support Stipend to ensure shoppers are financially supported as they take time away from shopping to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
— Instacart (@Instacart) January 14, 2021
Learn more: https://t.co/V0kJqGfdjD
"Eligible shoppers will receive $25 to ensure that, when the time comes, you don't have to choose between earning income as an essential service provider or getting vaccinated," Instacart says.
The effort launches Feb. 1, as COVID-19 vaccines continue to roll out throughout the US. It also comes after a year that saw many Americans sheltering in place for long periods of time, which led to a predictable uptick in online orders.
The surge in business put additional stress on the gig economy contractors who make up Instacart's workforce. Some of those workers went so far as to go on strike in March of last year, arguing Instacart wasn't doing enough to support them during the pandemic. The company responded with a number of measures, including safety kits and extended pay for confirmed cases of COVID-19, though some workers have said those sick pay benefits are too difficult to get approved.
Now, with vaccinations on the horizon in 2021, Instacart is looking to avoid any additional conflict.
"Along with health and safety kits and the new Vaccine Support Stipend, shoppers have access to daily in-app wellness checks, free telemedicine consultations with Doctor on Demand, extended pay for those affected by COVID-19, and extensive health and safety guidelines," Instacart says.
In-store shoppers and shift leads will be eligible for the stipend as soon as they receive the vaccine, while full-time shoppers will need to have shopped at least five batches of orders in the 30 days prior to vaccination to be eligible.
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