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Kroger strips paid emergency leave, jacks up health insurance premiums for unvaccinated employees
Blaze ^ | Dec 14, 2021 | Phil Shiver

Posted on 12/14/2021 11:03:55 AM PST by upchuck

Kroger, the nation's largest traditional grocery chain, announced significant policy changes this week aimed at compelling employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

What are the details? Starting next year, the Cincinnati-based company will no longer provide two weeks of paid emergency leave to unvaccinated employees who become infected with COVID-19, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday after viewing a company memo.

The paper noted that Kroger also plans to add a $50 monthly surcharge to company health plans for salaried nonunion employees who are unvaccinated. Both policies are set to take effect on Jan. 1, the Journal said.

According to the Associated Press, in an email to employees, Kroger leadership said the company would still offer "various leave options for employees who contract the virus, including earned paid time off and the ability to apply for unpaid leave," but that paid "special" leave would now only be available to fully vaccinated employees.

What else? Kroger, which employs nearly 500,000 people who interact with up to 9 million customers every day, will reportedly continue offering a $100 reward to employees who get the shot.

The company's policy changes fall short of a vaccine mandate. Rather, they aim to pressure employees to get vaccinated by making life more difficult for those who choose not to do so. Or in this case — more expensive.

(Excerpt) Read more at theblaze.com ...


TOPICS: Local News
KEYWORDS: kroger; krogers; shamenyoukroger; vaccinemandates
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To: fruser1

Would you be opposed to private companies charging overweight employees more for health insurance? Funny how small government conservatives turn into big government statists as soon as their oxen get gored.


41 posted on 12/14/2021 11:32:54 AM PST by bigdaddy45
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To: upchuck

If they want to adjust their health insurance rates based on employee exposure to health risk why don’t they have each employee submit their body mass index (BMI). See how well that goes over.


42 posted on 12/14/2021 11:33:24 AM PST by throwthebumsout
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To: upchuck

There’s a labor shortage, and lots of other businesses desperate to hire, but okay, Kroger, you go right ahead. Signal that virtue as if Karens are your only customers.


43 posted on 12/14/2021 11:35:38 AM PST by Sirius Lee (They intend to murder us. Prep if you want to live and live like you are prepping for eternal life)
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To: the_Watchman

Also Harris Teeter grocery stores are owned by Kroger.


44 posted on 12/14/2021 11:35:41 AM PST by Cowgirl of Justice
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To: V_TWIN

Oh no, Fred Meyer. I shop there once a month because they have things no other store carries. Wonderful employees too. And gas points on all purchases, which makes their gas station cheapest in town for good customers.

I wonder what the other stores have mandated for employees. Safeway? Albertsons? Trader Joe? Natural Market? (I doubt it. They’re very smart about carrying things that build natural immunity).


45 posted on 12/14/2021 11:35:49 AM PST by Veto! (Political Correctness Offends Me)
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To: Antoninus

Discrimination on health status AND union status.


46 posted on 12/14/2021 11:36:40 AM PST by peggybac (My will is what I wanted. God's will is what I got.)
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To: bigdaddy45

Under commie care, obesity and smoking can land you 50% premium surcharges from the carrier.

At the time that was initiated, there were a few state and local governments that surcharged for smoking.

Never something I agreed with. I know there were some state and local govs that surcharged employees in that fashion at around that time too.


47 posted on 12/14/2021 11:36:52 AM PST by fruser1
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To: cgbg

It’s the definition of “extortion”....all these employers are guilty.


48 posted on 12/14/2021 11:37:21 AM PST by fuzzylogic (welfare state = sharing of poor moral choices among everybody)
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To: upchuck

Did the UCFW go along with this?


49 posted on 12/14/2021 11:38:57 AM PST by buckalfa (I have forgotten more than I ever knew.)
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To: bigdaddy45

Raising premiums for smokers is backed up by common sense and unquestioned medical fact. This vaxx crap is based totally on vaxx crap propaganda. There is no medical or financial justification for this. If honest studies were published the non vaxxed might be due a refund because they avoid the risk of getting sick and or dying from an array of different vaxx induced maladies.


50 posted on 12/14/2021 11:42:14 AM PST by hardspunned (former GOP globalist stooge)
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To: Responsibility2nd
Gee, I wish there were Kroger’s in San Antonio. So I could boycott them.

They have them in the Houston area. I don't boycott them. They suck so much I rarely ever go there. HEB kicks their butts. I did use the Kroger pharmacy for a couple of years for the prices. But the service was terrible. I'd fill my prescriptions via their app, and it would always take days for them to fill them. The lines at the pharmacy are always long. When my turn at the window came up, it would take 5 minutes to get my stuff. The guy behind the glass would say "I see you already paid for this online". He would then proceed to dick around scanning stuff, walking back and forth to other areas and finally I would get my stuff. You'd think a prepaid order could be done quickly, but nope. That's why the lines are long.

51 posted on 12/14/2021 11:44:07 AM PST by Sans-Culotte (11/3-11/4/2020 - The USA became a banana republic.)
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To: upchuck

Kroger employees do not have the means to bring forth a lawsuit, and the Suits know it.


52 posted on 12/14/2021 11:44:53 AM PST by KobraKai
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To: upchuck

Kroger is doing this? Wow, I always thought Kroger was a good company. Too bad.


53 posted on 12/14/2021 11:48:49 AM PST by Tommy Revolts
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To: Veto!

The trader Joe’s here was probably the most militant when it came to marks I their store.
They posted an employee or 2 outside the front door and “reminded” people masks were required in the store.

Not to mention for a few weeks there they were only allowing a certain # of people inside at any given time.

What a bunch of nazis


54 posted on 12/14/2021 11:49:38 AM PST by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave)
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To: upchuck

Well, Publix just gained a new customer.

Kroger thus joins Delta Airlines, Woka-Cola, and Gillette Razors as entities that do not receive my business.

These WOKE companies need to fire their PR departments.


55 posted on 12/14/2021 11:49:49 AM PST by BrexitBen
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To: upchuck

56 posted on 12/14/2021 11:51:44 AM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: Skywise

I think that it opens them to a lawsuit.. for sure.. there is a collective bargaining agreement. And, frankly. It is a bizarre policy as well because it forces workers to come in sick. That’s stupid.


57 posted on 12/14/2021 11:52:27 AM PST by dalight
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To: KobraKai

Lots of lawyers want a crack at this. They can find representation if they have a claim.


58 posted on 12/14/2021 11:55:01 AM PST by dalight
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To: Skywise

Declaring some races, one gender or one religious or ethnic group second class does sound illegal——but in the New America of the Dems it may or may not be.

SCOTUS just knocked down religious protection over forced jabs. What’s next?


59 posted on 12/14/2021 11:58:55 AM PST by frank ballenger (You have summoned up a thundercloud. You're gonna hear from me. Anthem by Leonard Cohen)
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To: bigdaddy45

you’re obliged to be vaccine raped or else!


60 posted on 12/14/2021 11:59:33 AM PST by Theophilus (Thes so-called "vaccines" are the top three comorbidities)
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