With the second phase of the COVID-19 vaccination drive underway, India Inc is offering to cover the cost of the vaccine for employees and their dependents. While TCS and Infosys were among the first to announce this, more companies are following suit. ICICI Bank and Flipkart became the latest companies to announce that employees and their dependents would be covered.
ICICI Bank said it will reimburse the cost of the two mandated vaccine shots for its employees and their family members. According to reports, Flipkart is offering to cover vaccination costs of those employed with Flipkart and Myntra.
In a communication to employees, Flipkart Chief People Officer Krishna Raghavan said employees can choose to be reimbursed or get them for free at a partner hospital. He added that employees can also choose to participate in any future vaccination drive organised on campus or facilities at major locations. Employees can take a day off for the vaccination, and will also be allowed to take special care leave if they show symptoms post-vaccination.
Earlier this week, companies such as Mindtree and Sify also announced that vaccination would be covered. Mindtree’s Chief People Officer Paneesh Rao said that they will cover not only employees and families in India, but also employees outside the country who have family in India.
“We believe this is part of our responsibility and the basic ethos of the organisation to participate in the larger cause of the vaccination drive in India,” Paneesh said.
Sify said that over 2,000 families will benefit from the pan-India initiative. Employees can get their elderly family members vaccinated at designated hospitals across the country immediately and themselves, when the government extends the facility for all.
In an email to employees, Nita Ambani had written to all employees of Reliance Industries, stating that as per the company's earlier commitment, Reliance would "bear the full cost of vaccination for you, your spouse, your parents and vaccine-eligible-aged children".
Other companies to make similar announcements include Capgemini, Infosys, TCS and Accenture.
Last week, Capgemini India CEO Ashwin Yardi said, “At Capgemini, our employee’s health and well-being is our highest priority. Adhering to the government protocols, Capgemini will cover the cost of the vaccination for all the eligible employees and their dependents who are part of our medical benefits programme."
Capgemini has tied up with wellness partners to assist with any queries related to the vaccine and to answer medical queries of its employees and their dependents.
TCS has said that its employee well-being programme will continue into the vaccination phase as well. “Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have supported end-to-end treatment and care for all our associates and their families, across the globe, through our comprehensive associate well-being programmes. This included COVID-19 testing and treatment, setting up of free isolation centres and free test camps across locations in India, and premier care in hospitals for COVID-19 treatment, among other initiatives,” it said.
“Our employee well-being programme, TCS Cares, enabled emotional support to ensure holistic care. We remain committed to the well-being and care of all our associates and their families and this will continue in the vaccination phase as well,” a TCS spokesperson added.
Earlier, Infosys said that it too would be covering the COVID-19 vaccination cost of employees.
“Infosys is looking at partnering with health care providers to vaccinate employees and their immediate families as eligible under the guidelines given by the government of India and as per approved procedures and timelines. Infosys will cover the vaccination cost for the employee and immediate family as part of our focus on health and wellness,” said Pravin Rao, Chief Operating Officer of Infosys.
Accenture India Chairperson Rekha M Menon also said that they will be covering costs for the vaccination of all eligible employees and their dependents.
“At Accenture in India, we have continued to monitor and consider the guidance of external experts and groups, including international health organizations and local health authorities. Based on this, we strongly support the scientific and public health advice that encourages vaccination. For our people who are eligible and choose to receive the COVID-19 vaccination, Accenture will cover the cost for the employee and their dependents who are part of our medical benefits programme,” she said.
India is currently in the second phase of its COVID-19 vaccination programme, which began on March 1. Senior citizens above 60 years and individuals between 45 and 59 years of age with comorbidities are eligible to take the COVID-19 vaccine in the second phase. They can register on the Co-WIN website. Beneficiaries will not be able to choose the type of vaccine at the time of registration.