Santa Clara County Adopts Hazard Pay For Some Essential Workers

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA — Grocery stores and pharmacies in unincorporated parts of Santa Clara County will have to offer employees hazard pay during the pandemic.

The county’s Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance during its meeting Tuesday requiring the employers to pay an additional $5 an hour because of the risks of employees contracting COVID-19 while at work.

Similar ordinances have recently been adopted in San Jose, Oakland, Long Beach and Santa Monica.

Grocery stores and pharmacies that have at least 300 workers nationwide will fall under the order. Restaurant workers were originally slated to also receive hazard pay, but Supervisor Joe Simitian argued to remove restaurants from the ordinance, noting that none of the cities that have adopted the similar laws included restaurant workers as well as the unintended economic impact on restaurant owners.

“Restaurants is a bridge too far,” Simitian said.

Supervisor Susan Ellenberg stressed that the limited ordinance doesn’t mean it won’t have an impact.

“It’s an incremental step to remedy some harm,” Ellenberg said. “Just because we can’t do everything all at once doesn’t mean that we should not try to do anything. There are tough balances at every turn and I really am proud of the step that’s before us today.”

The ordinance will take effect in 30 days. The county plans to submit a copy of the law to all of its cities to encourage city councils to take up similar ordinances.