This week, the San José City Council voted 7-3 in favor of hazard pay. Under this ordinance, people working at large grocery stores, with more than 300 employees nationally, will be paid $3/hour on top of their regular wages.
The proposal did not receive the 8 votes needed to pass as an urgency ordinance which would have mandated the immediate implementation of hazard pay. Mayor Sam Liccardo and Councilmembers Dev Davis and Matt Mahan voted against the hazard pay ordinance, delaying the process by 44 days — costing full-time grocery store workers $750.
Councilmember Sergio Jimenez introduced the hazard pay proposal and voting in favor of the ordinance were Vice Mayor Jones and Councilmembers Arenas, Carrasco, Cohen, Esparza, and Peralez. Councilmember Foley had to recuse herself from the vote.
San Jose is one of only a handful of cities nationwide and in California that has voted to implement hazard pay. Seattle, Long Beach, Oakland and Santa Monica have adopted hazard pay ordinances. Berkeley and Los Angeles are considering similar policies.
The hazard pay ordinance will return to San Jose City Council on February 23rd for a second reading and after its approval will go into effect 30 days later.
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