SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. — Some grocery store workers in Snohomish County will soon see more money in their pockets after the County Council passed a $4 per hour hazard pay proposal during a public hearing Wednesday morning.
The heavily contested ordinance among council members passed 3-2 with multiple amendments being considered just before the final vote.
Councilmembers Nate Nehring and Sam Low were the two that voted against the ordinance.
The ordinance mandates that the grocery companies front the additional pay for employees.
King County passed legislation in March giving grocery workers an additional $4 per hour in hazard pay, but Snohomish County Councilman Nate Nehring said that while the additional pay is deserved he opposes the mandate on businesses.
Earlier this year, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan that sent about $160 million to Snohomish County specifically for COVID-10 relief expenses, and Nehring believes that money should go to funding the additional hazard pay.
His idea was introduced again before the council took its final vote, but the motion was not seconded.
"I think it probably is a good idea for businesses to voluntarily pay hazard pay, you know, especially places like grocery stores, which have made, I think, significant profits during COVID. But I do think it's inappropriate for government to mandate it onto a business," said Nehring, who points to the $4 hazard pay as a drop in the bucket compared to the $160 million in federal money.
Councilmember Jared Mead explained during Wednesday's meeting that he was opposed to using the American Rescue Plan funds to pay for the ordinance because he feels that the funds could be put to other uses. He also said that he feels it is not too much to ask "multi-billion dollar" companies to pay their employees more.
Nehring, along with Councilmember Low, also wanted the council's decision to be delayed so that more of the details could be worked out. For instance, Low was concerned that the ordinance, as passed, leaves out other workers who were deemed essential and put at risk during the COVID-19 pandemic like nurses and liquor store employees.
With the amendments that passed, the ordinance requires grocery stores to pay each worker $4 in hourly hazard pay up to $1,250 starting no later than July 15.
The ordinance applies to workers in unincorporated Snohomish County.