Edmonds grocery store workers may soon earn hazard pay
EDMONDS — Grocery store workers may soon receive an extra $4 an hour in Edmonds after the city council voted in favor of the pay increase at its Tuesday night meeting.
Edmonds is the first city in Snohomish County to require employers to pay their workers more during the pandemic. Nearby cities such as Seattle have also adopted the practice, known as hazard pay.
The ordinance was approved 4-1-2, with Councilmembers Adrienne Fraley-Monillas, Luke Distelhorst, Laura Johnson and Susan Paine voting for, and Councilmember Vivian Olson voting against. Councilmembers Diane Buckshnis and Kristiana Johnson abstained.
“My number one priority is keeping Edmonds safe and healthy,” Mayor Mike Nelson said in a written statement. “Grocery store employees serve a key role in our community for safe and reliable access to our food. The proposed ordinance is critical to promoting job retention during the pandemic. Grocery workers are on the front line working in a hazardous situation every day.”
https://www.heraldnet.com/news/edmonds-grocery-store-workers-may-soon-earn-hazard-pay/
