LA COUNTY, Calif. (KERO) — Los Angeles County is moving forward to offer frontline workers hazard pay. The city council voted to authorize the city to write an ordinance that would give workers at grocery stores with more than 300 employees an extra $5 an hour. Businesses would be responsible for covering the cost of the additional salary.
But some people are worried that the raise could cause grocery stores to go out of business due to the increased costs. Long Beach put in place a similar ordinance last month and Kroger closed two grocery stores in the area.
Still, residents in LA say grocery store workers deserve that extra money.
"I think they are hero's making sure that people have food and they're often at risk cause people are breathing on them so I think that would be great they deserve it," said LA resident Linda Birch.
Other cities across California like Oakland and San Francisco have passed similar ordinances. San Jose is also considering offering hazard pay.
