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Kroger to end Covid sick leave and impose health surcharge for unvaccinated workers

Kroger will end pandemic-related sick leave for unvaccinated employees and charge some of them a monthly healthcare fee, as US companies and health officials take further measures aimed at boosting vaccination rates.

The US supermarket chain sent a memo to employees last week informing them of the changes, which take effect next month.

Unvaccinated employees who contract Covid-19 will no longer be eligible for two weeks of paid emergency leave, a benefit the company introduced early in the pandemic. Kroger will also impose a $50-per-month surcharge to the company’s health plans for salaried unvaccinated workers who are not union members.

A Kroger spokesperson said unvaccinated employees could use paid time off or apply for unpaid leave if they contract Covid-19.

“As we prepare to navigate the next phase of the pandemic, we are modifying policies to encourage safe behaviours including vaccination, which we continue to incentivise with a $100 payment for all fully vaccinated associates,” the spokesperson said.

The moves come as health officials renew calls for Americans to get Covid-19 shots.

Federal judges have blocked the Biden administration’s vaccine requirements for healthcare workers and federal contractors, as well as a plan to force vaccine-or-test mandates at companies with at least 100 employees.

The new policies at Kroger were first reported by the Wall Street Journal.

Kroger, the biggest American grocery chain, is one of the nation’s largest employers. The Cincinnati-based company has nearly 500,000 full- and part-time workers and 2,800 stores, according to its website.