CVS To Hire 50,000 New Employees Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

WOONSOCKET, RI — As thousands of Americans face coronavirus-related unemployment, Rhode Island-based CVS Health is launching its "most ambitious" hiriing drive ever, aiming to take on 50,000 new full-time, part-time and temporary workers. In addition, the company has committed to offering all current workers bonuses and has expanded benefits to help address the needs of employees at this time.

The company is hiring for a wide array of positions, including store associates, home delivery drivers, distribution center employees and customer service workers, CVS said in a release. To cut down on face-to-face interactions, the company will use online based hiring, including virtual job fairs, remote interviews and virtual job tryouts. Many of the open positions will be filled by furloughed workers from CVS partners, such as Hilton and Marriott, the release said.

Hiring extra employees will help take the strain off of current employees, the company said. Those who are "on the frontlines" and required to be in stores, such as pharmacists, managers and store associates will receive bonuses ranging from $150 to $500 each.

CVS's CEO and president, Larry Merlo, said that these employees "have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to providing essential goods and services at a time when they’re needed most."

"As they continue to be there for the individuals and families we serve, we’re taking extra steps to provide some peace of mind and help them navigate these uncertain times," Merlo said.

In addition to the bonuses, CVS is also expanding benefits for employees, offering up to 25 days of covered child or elder care through Bright Horizons starting in early April and offering part-time employees up to 24 hours of paid sick leave for the remainder of the pandemic, in addition to the 14 days already offered to anyone who tests positive for COVID-19.

"The health and well-being of our colleagues has always come first. We’ve been working around the clock to increase availability of supplies and update protocols to ensure our stores are safe for
colleagues and customers alike," Merlo continued.

The company has also launched an employee relief fund, offering short-term financial relief through tax-exempt grants.

Early this month, CVS Health announced it would waive all testing fees related to the coronavirus for Aetna members.

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