Santa Monica approves additional $5 per hour 'Hero Pay' for frontline grocery, drug retail workers
SANTA MONICA, Calif. - The Santa Monica City Council on Tuesday adopted an ordinance requiring large grocery store chains and drug retailers to provide their essential workers an additional $5 an hour in light of their increased health risks throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ordinance applies to grocery or drug retail stores with more than 300 employees nationwide, or more than 10 employees per store, as well as retail stores, such as Walmart and Target, that dedicate 10% of their sales floor to groceries or drug retail. The hazard pay was ordered to be given in addition to employees' base wages for the next 120 days.
"Hero pay is about boosting wages in light of the elevated health risks grocery store and drug store chain employees experience every time they report to work indoors, interacting with large numbers of people and when they return home to their families," said Mayor Sue Himmelrich. "This is a much-deserved recognition of the sacrifices these vital essential personnel have endured for the last year."
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Santa Monica's "Hero Pay" is immediately required for the employees of businesses meeting the above requirements, but there is a grace period through April 12 for any liability resulting from nonpayment, so long as all accrued pay is paid by the next pay date after April 12.
The city plans to circulate legal notices to the applicable Santa Monica businesses to notify employees of their right to hero pay compensation.
Similar ordinances have been passed in Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, Long Beach, and West Hollywood.