Business

Oakland Becomes Latest California City to Pass Hazard Pay for Grocery Store Workers, Granting $5 More Per Hour

“It seems only fair that we provide hazard pay as a way to appreciate and fairly compensate the workers who are allowing us to continue to purchase the food and supplies we need despite sheltering in place. This is something that is long overdue,”

Published

5 years ago

February 13, 2021

Kiki

Oakland City Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas

The Oakland City Council last week unanimously passed a measure requiring large supermarkets to give their employees an extra $5 an hour as hazard pay for working during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The California Grocers Association, which represents grocery store owners, quickly sued the city a day later, arguing that many stores cannot afford the pay raise and that stores would be forced to raise prices.

Minimum wage in Oakland is currently $14.14 an hour – a skimpy wage for the expensive Bay Area. That means that grocery store workers making minimum wage will earn at least $19.19 an hour.

Councilmembers said the increase in pay was necessary to compensate workers for risking their health to serve the public urging the COVID-19 pandemic. “The national retail grocery chains are making enormous profits through this pandemic,” said Oakland City Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas, who co-sponsored the legislation.

Albertsons Co., the company that owns Safeway, saw its profits increase by 153% in the first two quarters of 2020 compared with the same period in 2019, according to a November 2020 report from the Brookings Institute.

The mandate applies to large grocery stores that have at least 15,000 spare feet of retail space and 500 or more employees nationwide. Oakland stores that will be affected include Safeway, Whole Foods, and Target. The law includes a waiver or credit for stores like Lucky’s, Safeway and FoodMaxx that have already been paying their workers hazard pay throughout the pandemic. Those stores have been paying an extra $2.50 to $3.50 an hour.

Grocery store workers spoke in support of the measure at the City Council meeting where the measure was considered and ultimately passed. “Hazard pay means additional payment for performing a dangerous duty or work related to physical hardship. Grocery is a dangerous job today and physical suffering is pain and death,” said Devin Ramos, a 23-year Safeway employee.

“My work day puts me in a busy store close by to hundreds of customers every day, and I have no realistic way of social-distancing away while doing my job duties. I have no way for every customer who enters my store to wear a mask, or to prevent them from removing their masks,” Ramos said.

Other California cities, including Antioch, Concord, and Berkeley in the Bay Area, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, are considering passing similar hazard pay laws.

On Wednesday, San Jose City Council passed hazard pay legislation. The Los Angeles City Council also recently asked city attorneys to craft a hazard pay law for the council to vote on.

Krogers closed a store in Long Beach after the City Council passed a $4 per hour hazard pay law.

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Oakland Post: Week of April 1 – 7, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 1 – 7, 2026

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April 6, 2026

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Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

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March 22, 2026

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Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Managing Money Stress in College 

While everyone’s financial situation is unique, several common sources of stress have the potential to strain your financial health. These include financial and economic uncertainty, existing debts, unexpected expenses, and mental or physical health changes. Financial stress may differ from situation to situation, but understanding the factors contributing to yours may help you begin to craft a plan for your unique circumstances.

Published

3 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

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Sponsored by JPMorganChase

As a college student, managing financial responsibilities can be stressful.

If you’ve found yourself staying up late thinking about your finances or just feeling anxious overall about your financial future, you’re not alone. In one survey, 78% of college students who reported financial stress had negative impacts on their mental health, and 59% considered dropping out. While finances can impact overall stress, taking steps to manage your finances can support your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

When it comes to money, the sources of stress may look different for each student, but identifying the underlying causes and setting goals accordingly may help you feel more confident about your financial future.

Consider these strategies to help improve your financial wellness and reduce stress.

Understand what causes financial stress

2. Determine your financial priorities

Start by reflecting on your financial priorities. For students this often includes paying for school or paying off student loans, studying abroad, saving for spring break, building an emergency fund, paying down credit card debt or buying a car. Name the milestones that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

3. Create a plan and stick to it

While setting actionable goals starts you on the journey to better financial health, it’s essential to craft a plan to follow through. Identifying and committing to a savings plan may give you a greater sense of control over your finances, which may help reduce your stress. Creating and sticking to a budget allows you to better track where your money is going so you may spend less and save more.

4. Pay down debt

Many students have some form of debt and want to make progress toward reducing their debt obligations. One option is the debt avalanche method, which focuses on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first, then moving on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate. Another is the debt snowball method, which builds momentum by paying off your smallest debt balance, and then working your way up to the largest amounts.

5. Build your financial resilience

Some financial stress may be inevitable, but building financial resilience may allow you to overcome obstacles more easily. The more you learn about managing your money, for instance, the more prepared you’ll feel if the unexpected happens. Growing your emergency savings also may increase resilience since you’ll be more financially prepared to cover unexpected expenses or pay your living expenses.

6. Seek help and support

Many colleges have resources to help students experiencing financial stress, like financial literacy courses or funds that provide some assistance for students in need. Talk to your admissions counselor or advisor about your concerns, and they can direct you to sources of support. Your school’s counseling center can also be a great resource for mental health assistance if you’re struggling with financial stress.

The bottom line

Financial stress can affect college students’ health and wellbeing, but it doesn’t have to derail your dreams. Setting smart financial goals and developing simple plans to achieve them may help ease your stress. Revisit and adjust your plan as needed to ensure it continues to work for you, and seek additional support on campus as needed to help keep you on track.

 JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC