Delivery Company Offers Gig Workers $25 to Get COVID Vaccine

Grocery delivery company Instacart said on Thursday it would pay $25 to its over half-a-million gig workers if they chose to take time off to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

The company, which has been lobbying government agencies for its delivery workers to get early access to vaccines, said eligible part-time employees such as in-store shoppers will also be offered the stipend starting February 1.

Gig workers are independent contractors who perform on-demand services, including delivering groceries. Instacart is not mandating its workers to get vaccinated.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people over 75 and essential workers are scheduled to receive the vaccine in a later phase, after healthcare workers and nursing home residents.

Dollar General Corp. said on Wednesday it will offer frontline employees four hours worth of pay after they get the vaccine, while Walmart Inc. has agreements with U.S. states to administer the vaccine to its employees should they choose to receive it once they are eligible.

Instacart’s gig economy based workforce, who are not given health insurance and offered limited sick pay, has grown 150% over the last year as its business boomed from people turning more to online shopping during the health crisis.

Reuters reported in November that Instacart had picked Goldman Sachs to lead preparations for its IPO, which could come this year and value it at around $30 billion.

(Reporting by in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri)

Top Photo: Instacart delivery person; photo supplied by Instacart.