BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Bellingham City Council is considering a measure that would give front-line grocery workers an additional $4 per hour in hazard pay.
The city council scheduled a public hearing to discuss the proposed hazard pay ordinance for 7 p.m. Monday.
Grocery businesses with 40 or more employees in the city of Bellingham would be required to pay employees an additional $4 per hour in hazard pay if the measure is approved. Additionally, grocery businesses that employ 500 or more people worldwide would also be required to pay employees the additional hazard pay.
If approved, Bellingham City Council would revisit the hazard pay ordinance after four months to “consider modifying or eliminating” the requirements and review the latest data to assess health and safety risks to front-line grocery workers.
The City of Seattle passed a similar hazard pay ordinance for grocery workers in January. The cities of Olympia, Burien and Edmonds also passed hazard pay ordinances. King County Council approved hazard pay for unincorporated areas of King County.