The following are some Frequently Asked Questions about hazard pay.

General Questions:

Why doesn’t my city council pass hazard pay?

The hazard pay policies in LA County and LA City (like all worker’s rights policies) are the direct result of our organizing – through conversations with co-workers, signing petitions, attending rallies, sending cards sent to elected officials and speaking out in the media. When city council members hear directly from us, our experiences as essential workers and what hazard pay means to us, that is what moves the needle. Continuing to organize around this issue is the only thing that will ensure that all cities where we work will pass similar policies.

I heard that they might close stores or cut hours because hazard pay passed. Is that true, and is there anything we can do about it?

The big grocery companies that are subject to this ordinance have been making windfall profits because of COVID. They have funneled billions to their shareholders since the start of the pandemic. Yet the workers taking the risk to make all those profits possible saw very little reward. Any employer threatening to cut hours or close stores is doing this in a misplaced effort to bully us into submission, not because they don’t have enough money. (UFCW Local 21 https://www.ufcw21.org/news/2021/2/3/seattle-hazard-pay-goes-into-effect)

Kroger’s store closures are a scare tactic and an illegal form of retaliation against the implementation of hazard pay – both the hazard pay policies as well as our union contracts have strong anti-retaliation language included in them, and store closures are a clear violation of those measures. Just like we organized to pass the hazard pay policies, we must organize to prevent store closures by highlighting the gross inequality these companies perpetuate and vocalizing our opposition. We must also document all instances where hours have been cut because of the implementation of hazard pay.

Grocery companies have already spent enormous sums of money on lawsuits trying to undo the policies we fought for – money that they could be spending on providing you with the hazard pay you deserve. The good news is that on February 25th, a federal judge ruled that the $5 hazard pay ordinance in Long Beach must be kept in place. The judge ruled decisively, striking down the California Grocers Association’s attempt at reversing the hazard pay policy.

We know that whenever we organize, we build power. When we win, management gets scared, and sometimes their first reaction is to lash out. But we can stand strong, stand together, and not be intimidated by any pushback from our employers. Getting hazard pay into the pockets of grocery store workers was never going to be easy, but the impact of this win is bigger than just the folks in Seattle and California who won it first. In fact, Trader Joe’s has already announced they’re extending the $4 hazard pay to all their employees, nationwide. Workers made that happen. (UFCW Local 21 https://www.ufcw21.org/news/2021/2/3/seattle-hazard-pay-goes-into-effect)

Worker-led efforts with tremendous support from the community to win hazard pay across the state of California and the nation have gained momentum. In the last week of February, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a measure to temporarily increase pay by $5 an hour for grocery and drug store workers in unincorporated Los Angeles County starting 2/26/2021.

On Feb. 24, members of the Los Angeles City Council voted 14-1 to advance a measure that will temporarily increase pay by $5 an hour for grocery and drug store employees working in the city of Los Angeles. The measure, which will lift pay for over 26,000 workers, awaits a second reading and final signature by the Mayor. In the last week of January, the City of Montebello passed an ordinance giving grocery and drug store workers a $4 per hour increase.

West Hollywood passed a hazard pay policy on February 17th for grocery store workers and will be passing the policy for drug store workers on March 2nd. Several cities including Santa Monica are advancing similar measures, joining the growing movement for hazard pay for essential workers. These are the first steps to move hazard pay policies forward to other cities and jurisdictions.

  1. LA County (Unincorporated) Board of Supervisors Policy

Has this policy become law?

Yes – the policy was voted into law by a 4-1 vote of the LA County Board of Supervisors on February 23rd.

What is the amount of hazard pay?

$5/hour

Who does this policy affect?

All non-managerial (hourly) grocery and drug retail staff who work in the unincorporated areas of LA County, in grocery and drug retails stores that have over 300 employees nation-wide, and at least 10 employees in their store. This includes workers at Ralphs, Food 4 Less, Albertsons, Vons, Pavilions, Super A, Stater Bros, El Super, Gelsons, CVS, and Rite Aid. Additionally, the policy covers workers in retail stores greater than 85,000 square feet who dedicate 10% or more of their sales floor to groceries or drug retail – this includes stores like Target and Walmart.

Which UFCW 770 stores are located in unincorporated LA County and affected by this policy?

  1. CVS 4524
  2. CVS 8898
  3. CVS 9477
  4. CVS 9507
  5. CVS 9531
  6. CVS 9688
  7. CVS 10022
  8. El Super 13
  9. Food 4 Less 368
  10. Food 4 Less 399
  11. Ralphs 1
  12. Ralphs 279
  13. Ralphs 84
  14. Ralphs 757
  15. Rite Aid 5423
  16. Rite Aid 5455
  17. Rite Aid 5492
  18. Rite Aid 5526
  19. Vons 2030

How long will the hazard pay be paid out?

120 days (approx. 4 months) beginning February 26, 2021

What counts as hazard pay? Is this on top of overtime, existing hazard pay, and/or tips? 

Yes, the $5/hour hazard pay is in addition to all other compensation. If the employer is already paying hazard pay, that will count towards the $5 so they will only have to pay the difference. For example, if the company is already paying $2 hazard pay, they will be paying an additional $3 to make up the difference.

When will I begin to receive the hazard pay? Where will it show up on my paycheck?

Implementation of the policy begins Friday February 26th, and members should begin receiving the additional $5/hour in their next paycheck. The hazard pay should be itemized separately on your paycheck to ensure that it is paid.

What if I don’t see any hazard pay on my next paycheck?

If you believe your employer is covered by this ordinance, and you don’t see a record of hazard pay on your paycheck, contact your Union Rep immediately. The county can investigate employers who don’t pay you the correct amount and force them to pay you, with interest, for the pay you missed. In addition to contacting your Union Rep, you may also call (800) 593-8222 or email: heropay@dcba.lacounty.gov to contact the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA), which is responsible for investigating violations of the hazard pay ordinance.

Can they cut my compensation to pay for this? 

No, employers cannot reduce other compensation because of this ordinance.

Does the hazard pay policy apply to new hires?

Yes

  1. Los Angeles City Policy

Has this policy become law?

Yes

What is the amount of hazard pay?

$5/hour

Who does this policy affect?

All non-managerial (hourly) grocery and drug retail staff who work in the City of LA, in grocery and drug retails stores that have over 300 employees nation-wide, and at least 10 employees in their store. This includes workers at Ralphs, Food 4 Less, Albertsons, Vons, Pavilions, Super A, Stater Bros, El Super, Gelsons, CVS, and Rite Aid. Additionally, the policy covers workers in retail stores greater than 85,000 square feet who dedicate 10% or more of their sales floor to groceries or drug retail – this includes stores like Target and Walmart. If you are unsure whether your store is in the city of Los Angeles, please contact your union representative.

How long will the hazard pay be paid?

120 days (approx. 4 months)

What counts as hazard pay? Is this on top of overtime, existing hazard pay, and/or tips? 

Yes, the $5/hour hazard pay is in addition to all other compensation. If the employer is already paying hazard pay, that will count towards the $5 so they will only have to pay the difference. For example, if the company is already paying $2 hazard pay, they will be paying an additional $3 to make up the difference.

When will I begin to receive the hazard pay? Where will it show up on my paycheck?

You should begin receiving hazard pay shortly after the ordinance becomes law, in early March 2021. The hazard pay should be itemized separately on your paycheck to ensure that it is paid.

What if I don’t see any hazard pay on my next paycheck?

If you believe your employer is covered by this ordinance, and you don’t see a record of hazard pay on your paycheck, contact your Union Rep immediately. The city can investigate employers who don’t pay you the correct amount and force them to pay you, with interest, for the pay you missed.

Can they cut my compensation to pay for this? 

No, employers cannot reduce other compensation because of this ordinance.

Does the hazard pay policy apply to new hires?

Yes

How does the policy apply to employees who move between stores, both inside and outside LA City?

The employee will get paid the $5 hazard pay for all hours worked inside LA city stores, but will not receive the hazard pay on days when they work outside LA city, where there is no hazard pay policy implemented.

  1. West Hollywood Policy

Has this policy become law?

Retail Grocery Workers: Yes

Retail Drug Workers: Not yet – the city council will be voting March 1 to decide whether the policy will apply to retail drug workers.

What is the amount of hazard pay?

$5/hour 

Who does this policy affect?

All non-managerial (hourly) grocery store staff who work in the City of West Hollywood, in grocery retail stores that have over 300 employees nation-wide. This includes workers at Ralphs, Food 4 Less, Albertsons, Vons, Pavilions, Super A, Stater Bros, El Super, and Gelsons. The ordinance does not yet apply to workers in retail drug stores (Rite Aid, CVS) or to workers in big box stores like Target and Walmart however the city council is set to vote on these issues on March 1.

Which UFCW 770 stores are located in West Hollywood and affected by this policy?

  1. Gelsons 108
  2. Pavilions 2739
  3. Ralphs 293
  4. Ralphs 724

How long will the hazard pay be paid?

120 days (approx. 4 months) beginning February 16, 2021.

What counts as hazard pay? Is this on top of overtime, existing hazard pay, and/or tips? 

Yes, the $5/hour hazard pay is in addition to all other compensation. If the employer is already paying hazard pay, that will count towards the $5 so they will only have to pay the difference. For example, if the company is already paying $2 hazard pay, they will be paying an additional $3 to make up the difference. 

When will I begin to receive the hazard pay? Where will it show up on my paycheck?

This policy (for grocery workers only) was voted into law February 16th, so workers should have begun receiving hazard pay. The hazard pay should be itemized separately on the paycheck to ensure that it is paid.

What if I don’t see any hazard pay on my next paycheck?

If you believe your employer is covered by this ordinance, and you don’t see a record of hazard pay on your paycheck, contact your Union Rep immediately. The city can investigate employers who don’t pay you the correct amount and force them to pay you, with interest, for the pay you missed.

Can they cut my compensation to pay for this? 

No, employers cannot reduce other compensation because of this ordinance. 

Does the hazard pay policy apply to new hires?

Yes

  1. Montebello City Policy

Has this policy become law?

Yes

What is the amount of hazard pay?

$4/hour

Who does this policy affect?

All non-managerial (hourly) grocery and drug retail staff who work in the City of Montebello, in grocery and drug retails stores that have over 300 employees nation-wide and 15 in their store. This includes workers at Ralphs, Food 4 Less, Albertsons, Vons, Pavilions, Super A, Stater Bros, El Super, Gelsons, CVS, and Rite Aid.

Which UFCW 770 stores are located in Montebello and affected by this policy?

  1. Albertsons 1181
  2. CVS 9857
  3. Rite Aid 5504
  4. Super A 8
  5. Vons 3258

How long will the hazard pay be paid?

180 days (approx. 6 months), beginning January 27, 2021.

 What counts as hazard pay? Is this on top of overtime, existing hazard pay, and/or tips? 

Yes, the $4/hour hazard pay is in addition to all other compensation. If the employer is already paying hazard pay, that will count towards the $4 so they will only have to pay the difference. For example, if the company is already paying $2 hazard pay, they will be paying an additional $3 to make up the difference.

When will I begin to receive the hazard pay? Where will it show up on my paycheck?

This policy was voted into law January 27, so workers should have begun receiving hazard pay. The hazard pay should be itemized separately on the paycheck to ensure that it is paid.

What if I don’t see any hazard pay on my next paycheck?

If you believe your employer is covered by this ordinance, and you don’t see a record of hazard pay on your paycheck, contact your Union Rep immediately. The city can investigate employers who don’t pay you the correct amount and force them to pay you, with interest, for the pay you missed.

Can they cut my compensation to pay for this? 

No, employers cannot reduce other compensation because of this ordinance.

Does the hazard pay policy apply to new hires?

Yes

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