Grocery Store Throws out $35,000 Worth of Food It Says Woman Deliberately Coughed on; What Grocery Stores Are Doing to Protect Workers During Coronavirus Outbreak

By Washington Post. The past few weeks have been tough for Gerrity’s Supermarket, a small family-owned chain in northeastern Pennsylvania. Like grocers nationwide, it has been deluged with orders and has struggled to keep basics such as chicken breasts and toilet paper on the shelves. Employees have been working overtime, pausing only for five-second breaks to wipe everything down with disinfectant wipes.

Then, on Wednesday afternoon, a woman came in and deliberately coughed all over the produce section, meat case and bakery department, co-owner Joe Fasula said. The store had to throw away more than $35,000 worth of food. . .

With most other businesses shuttered in an attempt to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, grocery stores have found themselves on the front lines of the global pandemic. Numerous supermarket employees nationwide have already tested positive for covid-19, and fears about being exposed to the virus run rampant. Meanwhile, a disturbing trend has emerged: People deliberately coughing on workers, other shoppers or the food. (Read more from “Grocery Store Throws out $35,000 Worth of Food It Says Woman Deliberately Coughed on” HERE)

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What Grocery Stores Are Doing to Protect Workers During Coronavirus Outbreak

By New York Post. Grocery stores like ShopRite have taken drastic measures to help and protect their customers and workers from the coronavirus pandemic — from $2 pay raises to installing plexiglass sneeze guards, and now allowing workers to wear protective masks and gloves.

Grocery stores have mentioned Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines in notices on whether they would allow workers to wear masks. The CDC has told the public not to buy masks as medical workers worldwide face a massive shortage. The agency also says the fitted N95 masks require training to be worn properly. . .

ShopRite posted a notice inside at least one of its stores Thursday, which was obtained by The Post, noting that employees would be allowed to wear masks. . .

The powerful United Food and Commercial Workers International Union said in a press release that store employees represented by the union would get a 10 percent increase in pay during the coronavirus outbreak. Workers will also receive two additional weeks of paid leave if they become sick.

Whole Foods says on its website that the company has adjusted its hours, is providing a $2 pay bump and unlimited call outs for sick workers, and all team members placed into quarantine or diagnosed with COVID-19 will receive up to an additional two weeks of paid time off, as announced by its parent company, Amazon. (Read more from “What Grocery Stores Are Doing to Protect Workers During Coronavirus Outbreak” HERE)

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