One way to boost vaccination rates? Give workers paid time off, research suggests

When it comes to convincing more Americans to get vaccinated against COVID-19, giving them paid time off could go a long way toward getting the U.S. closer to the herd immunity that experts say is needed as variants of the deadly virus spread, new research shows.

Roughly two-thirds of workers say their employer encourages vaccinations, but only half say they're being given paid time off to get the vaccine and recover from side effects. That's according to a nationwide survey of nearly 1,900 adults conducted this month by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Urging people to get a shot — and then ensuring they're not effectively penalized in taking the time to do it — appears to make a difference: About three-quarters of workers whose employers either encouraged vaccination or offered paid time off to get inoculated said they'd gotten at least one shot, KFF found.