Instacart provides stipend to employees who get vaccinated

The financial incentive is intended to encourage those working as independent contractors for Instacart to take time off of work to receive the vaccine.

"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," ​said the company in a blog post​​.

In the past week, other retailers including Dollar General​​ and Trader Joe's have created financial incentives for employees to seek out the vaccine as it becomes available to food industry workers as part of Phase 1b of COVID-19 national vaccination

The $25 stipend will be available to shift leads, in-store shoppers, and full-service shoppers beginning February 1, said Instacart.​

“Any active full-service shopper who has shopped at least 5 batches in the previous 30 days and can verify they have received a COVID-19 vaccine will be eligible to receive the stipend. Shift leads and in-store shoppers who are actively employed when they receive the vaccine will also be eligible.​

“As the vaccine starts to become available in various areas, we’ll roll out new in-app messages sharing more details with eligible shoppers about how to request the stipend,”​ Instacart added.

In the weeks before the vaccine becomes available to essential workers in the food industry, Instacart added that it will redistribute free health and safety kits to any active shopper in need of additional personal protective equipment.