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Some Costco workers are getting additional paid time off.
- Costco is offering two weeks of paid leave to at least some employees who are over 65 years old in at least four states.
- Business Insider spoke to five Costco employees from the East Coast, Illinois, Texas, and Utah who said that employees above the age of 65 in their stores have been given the option to take leave with two weeks' pay during the outbreak.
- Costco still has not introduced additional paid sick leave for its employees under 65.
- Costco declined to comment for this story.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
At least some Costco employees who are above the age of 65 have been quietly offered two additional weeks of paid time off amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Business Insider spoke to five Costco employees from the East Coast, Illinois, Texas, and Utah who said that employees above the age of 65 in their stores were given the option to take leave with two weeks of pay during the outbreak. These employees, whose identities were made known to Business Insider, were granted anonymity in order to speak frankly about the situation at Costco.
Costco has not announced any additional paid sick time for its employees under 65, though the warehouse store is currently paying its employees an extra $2 an hour for their work during the coronavirus outbreak. Other retailers like Walmart and Starbucks have also changed their benefits policies amid the pandemic.
"Most of employees would like to see this option for everyone not just elderly," an employee in an Illinois Costco store told Business Insider regarding the benefit being offered to the store's elderly workers. "I am happy that some employees will be able to get the time off paid however all of us should have gotten that option."
Costco declined to comment for this story.
Costco is currently experiencing a major surge in sales from panicked shoppers who are flocking to the warehouse stores to stock up on essential items like toilet paper and water. Costco CFO Richard Galanti told Business Insider for a previous story that Costco is actively trying to figure out the best ways to take care of its employees.
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