Publix Coronavirus Update: COVID-19 Infected Employees Will Get Paid Sick Leave, 2nd Case In South Florida
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Any Publix Supermarket employee who tests positive for COVID-19 will be given 14 days of paid sick leave, according to Publix spokeswoman Nicole Krauss. The news comes as a second South Florida employee tested positive.
The second case involves an employee who works at their West Boca store, located at Clint Moore Road and U.S. Highway 441, said Krauss.
The first confirmed case was an employee of the store located at 9420 SW 56 Street in Miami.
The company has not revealed which departments the employees worked in.
In a new statement on Tuesday, the company says it has implemented a heightened ongoing disinfection program focusing on high-touch surfaces like touch pads, door and drawer handles, phones and computers, and continued cleaning and sanitization of stores. It also revealed the new policy of quarantine and paid leave for 14 days for any associate who tests positive for COVID-19, notification, quarantine and paid leave for up to 14 days for associates who have been in close contact with the COVID-19 infected associate. There is now in-store signage and public address announcements reminding customers of social distancing, plus visual reminders of appropriate six-foot spacing at registers.
Publix also announced Monday it is giving store employees the option of wearing masks and gloves. The company said it would supply the gloves while they have them but workers have to provide their own masks.
It has installed plastic barrier shields at checkout, customer service and pharmacy registers.
Store have suspended food demonstrations, reduced store hours from 8:00 am to 8:00 p.m. and designed senior shopping hours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7 a.m., which includes the pharmacy.
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