This Grocery Store Will Now Charge Unvaccinated Workers
If you have been to the grocery store lately, you know how wild the prices have been. It is worrisome to many, even the employees that work there.
Now, some employees of the Kroger grocery store have additional things to worry about. According to CNBC, Kroger is taking away paid leave for unvaccinated employees who get Covid-19. They will also be requiring some of them to pay a monthly health insurance surcharge starting next year. In hope that more of the grocery stores workers will get vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine, Kroger will charge $50 per month to employees that haven’t gotten shots.
Kroger stopped short of mandating COVID-19 vaccinations for workers, but said it is “modifying policies to encourage safe behaviors including vaccination.” Company officials added the grocer will also continue to offer a one-time $100 bonus to workers that get fully vaccinated. The Kroger news was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
The $50 surcharge goes into effect on January 1st, 20211. This new policy will apply to salaried associates enrolled in a company health plan. The extra expense would cost an employee $600 per year. Kroger is one of the country’s biggest employers with about 465,000 workers as of January 31, according to a regulatory filing. Kroger is also under the North Carolina grocery store chain Harris Teeter. Harris Teeter, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Kroger Co.
Gallery: Skyline Shots of Charlotte
