‘The right thing to do:’ Sobeys reinstates lockdown bonus

STELLARTON, N.S. — Canada’s second-largest grocery retailer is reinstating a lockdown bonus for workers in areas with renewed stay-at-home orders, yet it’s unclear whether competitors will follow suit.

Sobeys Inc. said Monday the pay bump is “the right thing to do.”

“When regions and cities enter government-mandated lockdowns that close all nonessential retail, we continue to live up to our commitments and implement our lockdown bonus,” the company said in an emailed statement.

“Once again, families in Ontario and certain regions in Quebec will now mainly rely on grocers and pharmacies for their food, essentials and medication needs. We are proud to continue serving our communities in these areas during this difficult time.”

Loblaw Companies Ltd., Walmart Canada and Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd. did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether they planned to offer a similar bonus. Metro Inc. declined to comment.

During the first wave of the pandemic last spring, many front-line grocery workers received so-called hero pay. The pay premiums were intended to recognize the risks essential workers faced working with the public and the additional workload at busy supermarkets as people stockpiled groceries.

It also served to incentivize employees to go into work, said Anil Verma, professor emeritus at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management.

Yet as the number of COVID-19 infections dropped and stay-at-home orders were lifted, most companies phased out the hazard pay.

Sobeys said its bonus is a temporary program that rewards employees for the amount of time they work during the lockdown period.