Best Buy Co. on Thursday announced it will provide COVID-19 home tests for employees who have to work in stores, warehouses and other company locations.
The test builds on the coronavirus screening program Best Buy has provided for a year on smartphones to employees who can't work at home because of the nature of their job.
Now, employees who don't pass the questions about potential COVID-19 exposure will get a test for the virus that they can take at home. Best Buy will continue to pay the employees while they wait for results of the test.
"Although the country continues to make significant progress in rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine, we recognize that the next few months are critical," the company said in a statement.
It added that it recognizes that the availability of tests varies across the country.
If a Best Buy worker gets a negative result from the test, he or she can return to work. If the result is positive, the worker will have to isolate and possibly seek treatment.
The new test program comes after Best Buy last month said it will give paid time off to all employees to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
The company, based in Richfield, is not requiring workers to take a vaccine, but it "strongly encourages" them to do so. It has said it will give workers time off as well as sick time if there are side effects.
