Home Depot announces changes in stores, new employee benefits amid COVID-19

ATLANTA - The Home Depot has announced several temporary changes to its stores in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

The company is issuing the following measures to ensure the safety of its customers and employees:

• Closing stores early at 6 p.m. to allow more time for sanitization 
• Limiting the number of customers allowed in stores at one time
• Promoting social and physical distancings in stores by marking floors and adding signs
• Limiting services and installations 
• Distributing thermometers to associates in stores and distribution centers to perform health checks before work 

The Home Depot has also expanded benefits for associates, including:

• 80 additional hours of paid time off for full-time hourly associates and 50 hours of PTO for part-time hourly associates
• 160 hours of PTO for full-time hourly/80 for part-time hourly associates 65 and older, or at higher risk of being exposed
• Paid time off for any associate who contracts COVID-19
• Up to 14 days PTO for any associate required to be quarantined 
• Additional bonuses to hourly associates in stores and distribution centers, $100 per week for full-time hourly/$50 for part-time hourly 
• Double pay for overtime hours
• Extended dependent care benefits and waived co-pays

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The Home Depot has stopped selling all N95 masks in stores and online. Instead, they have redirected all shipments to be donated to hospitals, healthcare provides and first responders across the country.

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The company is also donating millions of dollars worth of personal protective equipment and other products to hospitals as well as medical professionals. 

RESOURCES:

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• Coronavirus cleaners: These products will kill COVID-19, according to the EPA
• Coronavirus and pets: Your cat or dog probably can’t get COVID-19, WHO says
• Will sick leave protect me if I get ill from coronavirus? 5 questions answered

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