NATIONWIDE – In an effort to encourage its employees to get vaccinated for COVID-19, Kroger has announced a $100 bonus for each employee who gets the full recommended doses.

In addition, the company said, it is providing a $100 store credit and 1,000 fuel points for hourly frontline grocery, supply chain, manufacturing, pharmacy, and call center associates.

In order to obtain the $100 bonus, employees must provide proof that they have been fully vaccinated. Those employees who cannot be vaccinated for religious or medical reasons can still obtain the bonus by completing a health and safety course.

"Through the unknowns of this pandemic, our associates have risen to the challenge and shown the true meaning of Our Purpose—To Feed the Human Spirit," said Tim Massa, Kroger's chief people officer. "Since March, we have invested more than $1.5 billion to both reward our associates and to safeguard our associates and customers through the implementation of dozens of safety measures that we continue to execute today.”

Despite the fact that grocery workers are considered frontline workers, many states, including Texas, have not designated them to receive vaccines in the initial stages of rollout.

Kroger, which is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, is the nation’s grocery retailer by revenue and the second-largest general retailer, only behind Walmart. It operates 2,750 supermarkets in 35 states and the District of Columbia.