As grocery stores see COVID-19 outbreaks throughout Southern California, the West Hollywood City Council will consider an urgency ordinance that would require hazard pay for frontline grocery workers. The West Hollywood City Council instructed the City Attorney at its Jan. 19 Regular Meeting to draft an urgency ordinance would require grocers to provide an additional $5 per hour of “hero pay” for 120 days after its passage or for the duration of the emergency–whichever is longer. It would only apply to chains that are publicly traded or have at least 300 employees nationwide and more than 10 employees per store. Although other cities in Los Angeles and the county itself are considering similar moves, the proposal has been criticized as overreach by the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.
“Grocery store employees, I believe, are some of the unsung heroes of this epidemic and they must be compensated for their work,” said Councilmember John D’Amico.
