McDonald’s plans to give employees four hours of bonus pay to get the COVID-19 vaccine, the first major fast-food employer to announce incentives to encourage inoculation.
The incentive is available to employees at corporate-owned McDonald’s in the U.S. About 5% of McDonald’s 14,000 U.S. restaurants are corporate-owned, while the rest are franchises. Salaried corporate employees who get vaccinated will get four hours added to their paid time off bank.
Asked if Chicago-based McDonald’s is encouraging its franchisees to follow suit, the company would only confirm that its policy applies just to the restaurants it owns and to corporate employees.
Other companies have announced similar perks. Dollar General, Aldi, Trader Joe’s and Darden Restaurants, owner of Olive Garden, are offering workers four hours of pay to get the two shots to achieve the best protection. Instacart has offered a $25 bonus for its shoppers and drivers.
Chicago-based McDonald’s, like most companies, does not plan to make vaccination mandatory.
Illinois is currently is phase 1b of its vaccination plan, which includes inoculating frontline essential workers such as teachers and grocery store workers. Food service workers, such as those who work in restaurants, fall under phase 1c, which is set to begin March 29.
Limited vaccine availability has made the rollout slower than many would like.
“Ensuring widespread availability and access to the vaccine will require extraordinary partnerships between businesses, governments and community and health organizations, and we’re engaging with government officials and our partners to understand where McDonald’s can further support this work,” Tiffanie Boyd, U.S. chief people officer of McDonald’s USA, said in a statement.
McDonald’s, the world’s largest burger chain, has come under fire from activists over working conditions during the pandemic that detractors say have made employees vulnerable to infection.
The company said it has implemented numerous safety standards including wellness checks, protective barriers and ample masks and personal protective equipment.
If that’s your price, you’re either desperate or dangerously stupid.
The dangerously stupid part does apply to both.