Kroger provided an additional $50 million in rewards for associates, totaling $1.5 billion invested in fiscal year 2020 in rewarding frontline associates and safeguarding the health of associates and customers since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Kroger will provide a one-time payment of $100 to all associates who receive the full manufacturer-recommended doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Kroger's $50 million investment to thank and reward associates across its 35-state footprint, includes a $100 store credit and 1,000 fuel points for hourly frontline grocery, supply chain, manufacturing, pharmacy, and call center associates. Both rewards will be loaded to associates' loyalty cards on Thursday, February 11. The one-time $100 vaccine payment will be offered to all associates who receive the full manufacturer-recommended doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and present appropriate proof of vaccination to their human resources representative. Associates who cannot receive the vaccine due to medical or religious reasons will have the option of completing an educational health and safety course to receive the payment.
"Through the unknowns of this pandemic, our associates have risen to the challenge and shown the true meaning of Our Purpose—To Feed the Human Spirit," said Tim Massa, Kroger's chief people officer. "Since March, we have invested more than $1.5 billion to both reward our associates and to safeguard our associates and customers through the implementation of dozens of safety measures that we continue to execute today. We've also welcomed more than 100,000 new associates to The Kroger Family of Companies. As we move into a new phase of the pandemic, we're increasing our investment to not only recognize our associates' contributions, but also encourage them to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as it becomes available to them to optimize their well-being as well as the community's."
Additional actions taken by Kroger to support associates include: additional pay, bonuses, and rewards; COVID-19 testing to associates based on symptoms and medical need; advocating for frontline associates to have priority access to the vaccine; COVID-19 Emergency Leave for associates; requiring and supplying masks for associates; requiring customers to wear masks in stores and encouraging e-commerce; providing comprehensive benefits packages; supplying $15 million dollars through the Helping Hands fund to provide financial support to associates experiencing certain hardships; supplying mental health resources; implementing customer capacity limits; enforcing safety partitions and physical distancing floor decals.
"We know that the most effective defense against this pandemic comes in the form of the COVID-19 vaccine and the continuation of the rigorous safety precautions we've established across our stores, manufacturing facilities and supply chain," said Dr. Marc Watkins, Kroger's chief medical officer. "We are strongly encouraging all customers and associates to receive the vaccine to curb the spread of COVID-19, and we'll do all we can to ensure they have access as soon as it's available."
Kroger Health continues to play a critical role in helping distribute the vaccine in collaboration with public health officials and community partners. As of Feb. 5, Kroger Health professionals have administered more than 200,000 COVID-19 vaccines to essential health care workers, skilled-nursing facility employees and residents and some elderly populations. Kroger Health continues to hire to fill the need for 1,000 additional health care personnel, including pharmacy technicians, to support operations and the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine.