H-E-B replaces hourly COVID-19 pay raises with permanent long-term plan

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (KTRK) -- After beginning their temporary pay raise program for store employees in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic in March, H-E-B announced Monday that it will transition the pay raise program into a new long-term, permanent investment.

The initial Texas Proud Pay program allowed $2 an hour extra for hourly store, manufacturing, warehouse and transportation partners, along with accelerating merit increases for store and supply chain hourly workers.

The new program includes accelerated and enhanced pay increases for store and supply chain hourly partners.

In their latest announcement, H-E-B said the permanent investments will be the largest pay increase in the history of H-E-B.

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The new permanent program is worth more than twice the amount of the temporary Proud Pay program for the average employee over one year, and considerably more over their careers, according to the grocer.

"Texans count on H-E-B, and that means depending on our great Partners, who are the heart and soul of our business," H-E-B said. "We believe this crisis will be around for an indeterminate amount of time and our goal is to reward our Partners for their hard work and dedication with more than temporary bonuses."

On top of long-term pay raises, H-E-B will also add Martin Luther King Day to the list of official paid holidays for all employees.

The grocer has also placed emphasis on employee paid time off and sick leave, extending medical leave to employees. In the event they are diagnosed with coronavirus, H-E-B says employees will still receive pay.

The video above is from previous reporting.