Kroger cuts out COVID-19 benefits of unvaccinated workers

Kroger is discarding some of the COVID-19 benefits designed for employees who have not received their vaccines yet. The retailer stated that starting next year, some of the benefits will no longer be given out.

Kroger made the decision as it wants its workers to get vaccinated due to the concerns on the spread of the Omicron COVID-19 variant that has been described as more contagious and probably more deadly as well. As per Reuters, the American grocer giant will stop providing unpaid leave for unvaccinated staff and will

The grocer will no longer provide paid COVID-19 leave for unvaccinated employees who contracted coronavirus and will implement a $50 monthly health insurance surcharge for unvaccinated salaried non-union workers who are enrolled in Kroger's healthcare plan. The hourly and unionized workers are said to be exempt from this new policy.

Apparently, Kroger is encouraging its employees to get inoculated as the new Omicron variant is spreading. The company is one of the biggest private employers in the U.S., with over 465,000 full and part-time workers.

CBS News further reported that Kroger would only allow the special leave to fully vaccinated workers. Under the policy, those who have not received the vaccine yet and get the virus may apply for unpaid leave instead, or they can also use paid time off they previously earned.

"As we prepare to navigate the next phase of the pandemic, we are modifying policies to encourage safe behaviors including vaccination, which we continue to incentivize with a $100 payment for all fully vaccinated associates," the company's spokesman told CBS MoneyWatch via email.

Kroger's move to cut some of the benefits of unvaccinated workers supports the U.S. administration's effort to have more Americans immunized. It was reported that despite the availability of the vaccines, only 60% of the U.S. population are fully inoculated against coronavirus that already killed millions worldwide and almost 800,000 in America.

Google is another major company in the country that is pushing the vaccination of its employees despite the federal court's decision to put Biden's executive order for COVID-19 mandate on hold. The court halted the E.O. last month, but some companies still chose to follow the order amid the fear of a new COVID wave.