* This is a living document that will be updated on a regular basis until it is no longer needed. For the most up-to-date information, please visit the corporate Target press room page.
At Target, we’re committed to helping the families and communities we serve in good times and bad. We’ve already taken a number of steps in support of our team and guests. We’re extending benefits to help team members take care of themselves and their families, conducting even more rigorous cleaning procedures in all of our facilities and providing additional support for Drive Up and Order Pickup services from our stores. And, we’ll continue to do all we can to help navigate these uncertain times. Read on to learn more about our ongoing efforts.
March 22
For weeks, our incredible front-line team members have played a crucial role as families turn to Target during the coronavirus pandemic. Whether they’re stocking shelves in our stores or sorting products in our distribution centers, our team is showing up as heroes for our guests.
And we know that in order to serve the countless families shopping at Target each and every day, our team needs to be able to care for themselves and their families. On top of the $300 million+ team investment and paid leave we’ve already committed to, we’re also setting aside dedicated time for our store and distribution center team members to shop for essentials, such as food, baby products and medicine.
“We are humbled by the work of our field team members, who are tirelessly serving our communities during this time,” says Mark Schindele, Chief Stores Officer. “And while they are providing critical support to our guests, we know they are also caring for their own families.”
“Setting aside time for our team members to shop for household essentials is one more way Target is investing in our team during a pivotal time,” says Arthur Valdez, Chief Supply Chain and Logistics Officer. “This is a recognition of our team’s incredible dedication, and our commitment to help all families.”
Starting March 23, store and distribution center team members will be able to shop an hour before stores open every Monday, Friday and Saturday. During this time, they’ll be able to get critical items for themselves and their loved ones. Product quantity limits—which we’ve put in place on some essential items for guests during this time—will still apply to team members.
As the coronavirus pandemic impacts our communities, we will continue to support our guests, team members and all families. For the latest information about Target’s response to the coronavirus, please visit our coronavirus information hub.
March 20
Target’s team is playing a vital role in helping families cope with the coronavirus pandemic, helping them get the food, medicine, baby products and essentials they need. We’re proud and humbled by our team’s heroic efforts over the last few weeks—and as they continue taking care of our guests, Target remains committed to supporting our team members. Today, we announced that we’re investing more than $300 million in added wages, a new paid leave program, bonus payouts and relief fund contributions.
Increasing wages and taking extra care
First, we’re continuing to make efforts to support our front-line teams. All full-time and part-time hourly team members working in stores and distribution centers will receive a $2-per-hour wage increase through at least May 2. Further, U.S. team members who are 65 or older, pregnant or who have underlying medical conditions as defined by the CDC now have access to paid leave for up to 30 days if they prefer not to work. These investments are on top of millions of dollars we’ll be paying out for the first time to some 20,000 hourly store team leads.
“With each passing day, it’s clearer how indispensable our team is to communities across the country as our guests cope with the coronavirus,” says Brian Cornell, Target’s CEO. “Increasing their compensation for a job incredibly well done and ensuring continued compensation for those who need to care for themselves and their families is a reflection of our company’s values and simply the right thing to do.”
A further commitment to teams and our communities
For team members and communities that need extra resources in challenging times like this, Target and the Target Foundation will be giving $10 million to expand relief and assistance to our team members, as well as local, national and global organizations responding to the pandemic.
“Families across the country are counting on Target in so many ways during this pandemic, and our team has been nothing short of remarkable,” Brian says. “The commitments we’re making today will provide additional resources for our most valuable asset—our team—and additional contributions will help support the critical work of our partners in communities impacted by the coronavirus.”
The $10 million donation—Target’s largest ever to a single relief effort—will support efforts in four areas:
Team Members – $1 million will go to our Target Team Member Giving Fund to assist team members who are most impacted. On top of that, Target will match up to an additional $1 million in contributions from fellow team members who wish to assist their colleagues in need. The fund was created in 2018 to help our team members weather unexpected financial hardships. Since then, it’s already helped hundreds of team members and their families through life-threatening illnesses, natural disasters and more.
Local Communities – $5 million will be committed to state and local community foundations supporting nonprofit organizations addressing the greatest needs in their area, including vulnerable populations such as underrepresented communities.
National Organizations – $3 million will support national nonprofits such as Feeding America and others, assisting with response and recovery for affected communities.
Global Response – $1 million will support organizations such as UNICEF and others, helping provide critical medical equipment and supplies to regions around the world.
In addition, our Target Circle members can assist in supporting their local communities and nonprofits, directing Target’s giving to have a positive impact in their community. And as worldwide response efforts continue, Target will stay close to our team and partners to provide additional assistance as needed.
March 17
Message from the CEO of Target, Brian Cornell
Every day, for weeks now, you’ve turned to Target to stock up on supplies as you cope with the impact of the coronavirus. As we all continue to adapt to the country’s fast-changing needs, we want to make sure we’re doing everything we can to keep our stores open and support our team.
Today, we’re announcing a couple of changes that will go into effect tomorrow and last until further notice.
We’ll reduce hours and close all stores by 9 p.m. daily. This will help us as we replenish and deeply clean our stores for our guests. And it builds on measures we shared earlier this month, including enhanced cleaning and more staffing for in-demand services that support social distancing, like Order Pickup and Drive Up.
We’ll also reserve the first hour of shopping each Wednesday to support vulnerable guests, including the elderly and those with underlying health concerns.
In addition to these changes, we’re fast-tracking the flow of products that are in highest demand, including food, medicine and other essentials. We’ll continue to maintain limitations on in-demand items and respectfully ask all guests to consider their immediate needs and purchase accordingly so more families can find the products they need.
Taking care of our team
During this challenging time, I can assure you that the Target team is working hard to be there for you and your families – and we’re doubling down on everything we can to support them.
We recently announced changes to our back-up care benefit, so in the face of school and other care-facility closures, back-up care will be available to all, including frontline team members who are doing so much right now. This comes on top of temporarily waiving our absenteeism policy and covering quarantine and confirmed illness pay. We’ll also continue to offer benefits like paid family leave and free counseling services for the range of challenges our team might be facing.
So much of what we’ve seen over the last few weeks has been heroic, from our dedicated teams working in our stores and supply chain, to the way you and your families have banded together.
As I’ve said from the outset, a commitment to help all families is at the heart of Target’s purpose. Our goal is to be here for you and keep navigating through this uncertainty together – and we will do everything in our power to live up to that promise.
Brian Cornell
Chairman and CEO