Kroger is removing some COVID-19 benefits for its unvaccinated employees as more large employers work to encourage their workers to get vaccinated.
Unvaccinated workers at Kroger will no longer be eligible for up to two weeks paid emergency leave if they become infected, The Associated Press reported. Unvaccinated employees will also have to pay $50 more for the company health plan each month, but that will not apply to hourly associates or those covered by a collective bargaining agreement, the AP reported.
Kroger is one of the largest private employers in the United States, and as of Jan. 31 had approximately 465,000 full and part-time employees, Reuters reported. According to Kroger’s website, they are one of the largest retailers and supermarket chains in the U.S. by revenue.
A Kroger spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal the company made the changes to “encourage safe behaviors as it prepares to navigate the next phase of the pandemic, and that the changes are designed to create a healthier workplace and workforce.”
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