US To Reimburse Firms For Paid Time Off Needed For Coronavirus Jabs - Treasury

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 30th July, 2021) Firms with fewer than 500 employees that pay workers taking time off to get coronavirus vaccinations for themselves or family members can be reimbursed for lost wages, the US Treasury Department said on Thursday.

"Paid leave tax credits [are] available under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) for providing leave for each employee receiving the vaccine and for any time needed to recover from the vaccine," the Treasury Department said in a press release.

The offer also applies to workers who take family members to be vaccinated or need to provide care for family members recovering from a vaccination, the release said.

It is not uncommon for side effects of coronavirus vaccines to require a day or more in bed.

The initiative reflects Biden administration efforts to overcome so-called vaccine hesitancy, which has slowed the daily pace of jabs from more than 3 million last spring to about 500,000, according to US government data.

A separate Biden administration initiative would pay recipients of each new jab a $100 reward, the Treasury Department said.