“Essential Business” Stepping Up on Employee Benefits During COVID-19 Outbreak

Unsung heroes

By spending hours face to face with crowds of people, retail clerks and other hourly employees are providing communities with a sense of normalcy at their own risk.

How are companies stepping up?

In the midst of a global pandemic, companies realize the public health risks are too great to forgo paying people to stay home and be safe.

Which stores are stepping up & how?

• Publix – 80 hours of “emergency pandemic pay” to full-time employees; 2 weeks paid leave for part-time employees
• HEB – hourly pay increased by $2; shortened hours for employees to restock; will pay any employees who get COVID-19
• Target – temporarily increase hourly rate by $2; bonuses from $250 to $1,500 to 20,000 hourly employees; pregnant, high-risk, and employees 65+ receive up to 30 days paid sick leave
• Wal-Mart – will distribute $300 bonuses to employees; quarantined employees receive 2 extra weeks of paid sick leave

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