Wells Fargo offering paid time off for employees to get COVID-19 vaccine

Wells Fargo is offering employees up to eight hours paid time off to get the coronavirus vaccine, according to an internal memo viewed by Bloomberg.

The bank will also offer its employees at its 25 biggest locations free coronavirus testing, according to Bloomberg. Those who are not at those locations can ask for at-home tests. 

“While we understand that choosing to be vaccinated is a personal decision, we encourage you to consider getting the vaccine when it’s available to you,” head of Human Resources David Galloreese said in the memo, according to the outlet.

“We encourage you to be educated about Covid-19 vaccines so that you can make an informed decision.” 

Wells Fargo has the biggest workforce among U.S. banks and joins other large companies in offering paid time off to get vaccinated. 

The Marriott hotel chain announced on Thursday that its employees will receive four hours of pay to get vaccinated. 

The hospitality company said that it would provide all associates in hotels based in the U.S. and Canada with a financial compensation for getting the vaccine. 

News of the paid time off comes as the United States has ramped up vaccinations in the past month. Axios reported Thursday that the U.S. is vaccinating an average of 2 million people per day, up from 1.3 million in the middle of February. 

President Biden announced earlier this week that the U.S. is on track to have enough vaccines available for every adult by May.