Intel is offering employees a $250 cash payout to anyone who gets the COVID-19 vaccine by the end of 2021. Hourly workers will also get an additional $100 food voucher.
“While Intel does not require COVID-19 vaccination for its workforce, we strongly recommend that our employees around the world obtain COVID-19 vaccines approved by their respective national health authorities as they become available,” a spokesperson said in a statement. “As a thank you to those vaccinated before the end of the year, we are offering $250 for employees and an additional $100 food voucher for hourly employees. Intel employees are also able to take up to four hours of paid time off for their vaccination appointments.”
As Brahm Resnik with NBC 12 News in Phoenix first reported, the news went out in a memo from Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger.
“Provided it is possible for you, this is an act that will keep you, your family, your colleagues, and your community safer,” Gelsinger wrote of the vaccine. “I’m a data guy, and the data shows that vaccination is a critical element in ending this pandemic.”
For countries where the vaccine is not readily available, Gelsinger says Intel will extend the eligibility date into 2022. More details on that are expected next month.
Intel has about 110,600 employees globally, according to its 2020 annual report.
Some tech companies—like Google, Facebook, Netflix, and Microsoft—will require employees to be vaccinated if they want to return to offices. Apple has not yet required them, but is reportedly considering it.
