The Shift Project's study conducted in March and April found that 41% of warehouse workers reported new workplace cleaning procedures in response to COVID-19. The report notes that conditions vary across companies, but requirements to wear masks never exceeded one-third of workers.
Forbes Corporate Responders and JUST Capital released a report ranking how well the largest employers among U.S. public companies responded to the crisis. Verizon, Target, AT&T, Walmart, Lowe's, Starbucks, and Kroger are within the top 10.
Many employers are putting an end to the bonus hourly pay ("hero pay") they had been providing workers going back to March. Congress has considered increasing frontline workers' pay, but no additional laws have yet passed.
In interviews and internet threads, employees are reporting that companies are providing insufficient protection or benefits, opting instead for rewards that do not address their concerns about job safety or stability. This is in addition to the varying work conditions reported by employees in The Shift Project's survey.
LatinoJustice PRLDEF, a legal advocacy organization, filed a complaint with the New York State Attorney General against Lidl, a German grocery company which recently acquired Best Market, for the company's compliance with labor protocols mandated for essential businesses. Employees are demanding Lidl for consistent cleaning, full information on and access to paid leave, and hazard pay.
In this research brief, we draw on Shift survey data that gives an early and nearly real-time view into employer responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to workers.
The Shift Project's survey examines how service industry workers are being protected from COVID by employers. The survey finds that about two-thirds of employees said cleaning in their workplaces had improved, but companies are still not doing enough to provide protective equipment such as masks and gloves.
In their op-ed, Kristen Harknett and Daniel Schneider outline service industry workers continued lack of adequate access to paid sick leave, despite the health risks posed by COVID. Despite national efforts to expand paid sick leave, such as through The Federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), these have fallen short due to exemption, leaving individual states to enact orders.
Due to COVID, there has been a reigniting of labor movement across California, and the rest of the country. Unions are pushing for new policies that cover worker safety, pay, and benefits.
