Hero Pay

Portrait for @ash
by @ash
2020-07-15T05:30:02+00:00
Business • Economy
Big U.S. retailers stopped "hero pay" due to decline in panic buying
A supermarket checker with face mask works behind a plastic shield
A supermarket checker with face mask works behind a plastic shield Credit: Russ Allison Loar / Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 4.0)

U.S. retailers, including Amazon, Stop & Shop and Kroger, have quietly ended the pandemic-related "hero pay" for its employees. The additional payment was initially meant as a pay raise, implemented as sales surged in March due to panic buying and hoarding.

Employees have voiced criticism as they are still being exposed to the novel Coronavirus on a daily basis. Stop & Shop produce manager Eddie Quezada, who contracted the virus, pointed out that their jobs were still "very risky", adding: "We should get at least something for that."