Some workers get tests while others struggle

As Covid-19 rolls into its third year, the latest surge of Omicron cases has left many stranded.

Multiple people are scouring pharmacies and supermarkets for Covid-19 test, home test kits. Others are spending hours online only to find sold-out signs on most sites. While this is the case for the majority, some segments of workers have different situations. Although the federal government has made the covid vaccine and testing mandatory for the majority of states, there is no mandate for the production and distribution of rapid tests. In such circumstances, companies are taking matters into their own hands to make testing available for their employees. 

Google will be sending their full-time employees at-home test kits for free, these tests deliver the result within minutes and are priced at $70 each. BlackRock, an investment firm is offering telehealth supervision as employees self-administer tests for international travel. JP Morgan has set up an internal company site for their employees to order home-test kits. Some companies have even gotten into contracts with test manufacturers to ensure their employees get preference. Companies say that they did this even before the Omicron variant. 

For employers, tests are a way to call the employees back to work, for others to is the newest benefit to their wellness package, a perk to keep them healthy and give them a piece of mind even if it's remote. 

Source: The New York Times