Two California grocery stores close doors over city hero pay mandate washingtonexaminer.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from washingtonexaminer.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Retail chain Kroger has closed two local grocery stores in southern California, claiming that it cannot afford to pay workers an extra $4 an hour hero pay during the coronavirus pandemic.
Ralph s and Food 4 Less in Long Beach had their doors closed and shelves empty on Saturday after Kroger insisted that it was impossible for them to operate what they called underperforming stores.
The city approved a coronavirus hero pay ordinance in January that required retail stores and pharmacies with 300 or more workers overall, or more than 15 employees per location, to pay employees a higher wage due to the hazards of working in the midst of a pandemic.
A Ralphs and a Food 4 Less are set to close permanently, with parent company Kroger blaming the city's elected leaders for passing a temporary $4-per-hour pay bump.