CVS Health said it plans to immediately fill 50,000 jobs across the U.S. to keep up with a demand for over-the-counter medicines, prescriptions and other items during the coronavirus outbreak.Â
In a news release Monday, CVS called it "the most ambitious hiring drive in the company's history."
The major pharmacy chain said it needs more store associates, home delivery drivers, distribution center employees and customer service professionals for part-time, full-time and temporary roles. CVS will use virtual job fairs, virtual interviews and tech-enabled job tryouts to find the right candidates, according to the news release.Â
CVS is one of the companies that's seeing more business as the coronavirus pandemic causes others to close their doors and lay off employees. Walmart, Amazon, Domino's and Papa John's have also announced plans to hire thousands of employees.
CVS said in the release that it expects to fill many of the jobs with furloughed or laid-off workers from CVS clients such as Hilton and Marriott.Â
It said it will give bonuses, ranging from $150 to $500, to pharmacists, store associates and other employees who must be on-site at CVS facilities, to recognize their work during the coronavirus pandemic. Starting in early April, the company is offering a new service of up to 25 days of backup care for part-time and full-time employees who need child care or elder care for a family member.
In addition to staffing stores and distribution centers, CVS needs employees for a new kind of facility: Drive-through sites where people can be tested for the coronavirus. It opened its first test site last week in the parking lot of a Massachusetts store. The site is staffed by nurse practitioners and other medical professionals who work for CVS. The site is only testing first responders and health-care workers who are referred by state or public health officials.
CVS spokesman Joe Goode said the company will learn from the site before opening additional locations.
