To thank their employees for working during the COVID-19 crisis, one of America's largest grocery chains is awarding them with a "hero bonus."
As the largest supermarket by revenue, Kroger announced it will temporarily raise every employee's base rate of pay by $2, applied to hours worked from March 29 - April 18. As one of the few essential businesses still open during this pandemic, the raise certainly makes sense.
"Our associates have displayed the true actions of a hero, working tirelessly on the frontlines to ensure everyone has access to affordable, fresh food and essentials during this national emergency," said Rodney McMullen, Kroger's chairman and CEO. "The Hero Bonus is just one more way we continue to convey our thanks and gratitude not only to our existing associates but also to the more than 30,000 new hires who have joined in the past two weeks and those who will soon join the Kroger Family of Companies."
This wasn't Kroger's first gesture of gratitude for its employees, however. The company has published new sanitation guidelines, strengthened benefits during the pandemic, and gave all employees an "appreciation-bonus" of $300 for full-timers and $150 for part-timers.
Hopefully, Kroger is just the first company to enact these gratitude benefits and not merely an outlier in these uncertain times.