As our communities battle COVID-19, The Home Depot is committed to providing the essential needs required to maintain your homes and businesses while doing our best to protect you, our valued customers, and our associates. This has resulted in several temporary changes to our business as we look out for your safety and the safety of our associates. We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we work through this challenge together.
Operational Changes & Safety Measures
As we continue to monitor the evolving circumstances surrounding COVID-19, we have been adjusting our operations to support national, state, and local public health guidance. To date, we have taken several measures for your safety and the safety of our associates, including:
•
Closing stores early at 6:00 p.m. to allow more time for sanitization and restocking
•
Limiting the number of customers allowed into stores at one time in the U.S. and Canada
•
Promoting social and physical distancing practices in stores by marking floors and adding signage to help customers and associates maintain safe distances
•
Eliminating major spring promotions to avoid driving high levels of traffic to stores
•
Limiting services and installations to those that are essential for maintenance and repair needs in impacted markets
•
Distributing thermometers to associates in stores and distribution centers and asking them to perform health checks before reporting to work
•
Asked all support center associates who can work from home to do so while continuing to support our front-line associates
Supporting Our Associates
Our associates are important to your shopping experience. We have implemented the following actions to support them during this crisis:
•
Added 80 hours of paid time off for all full-time hourly associates and 40 hours of paid time off for part-time hourly associates to be used at their discretion at any time in 2020 and paid out at year-end if not used
•
For associates who are 65 years of age or older, or determined to be at higher risk by the CDC, added 160 hours of paid time off for full-time hourly associates and 80 hours of paid time off for part-time hourly associates to be used at their discretion at any time in 2020 and paid out at year-end if not used
•
Providing paid time off for any associate who has contracted COVID-19 until released by a doctor
•
Providing up to 14 days paid time off for any associate required to be quarantined by a public health authority or the CDC
•
Providing additional bonuses to hourly associates in stores and distribution centers -- $100 per week for full-time hourly associates and $50 per week for part-time hourly associates
•
Providing double pay for overtime hours worked by hourly associates
•
Extended dependent care benefits and waived co-pays
Supporting Communities
We have taken a number of steps to support you and the healthcare workers and first responders providing patient care in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, including:
•
Weeks ago, voluntarily froze pricing nationwide across product categories in high demand due to COVID-19
•
Redirected all shipments of N95 masks to be donated to hospitals, healthcare providers and first responders around the country as hospitals made the public aware of shortages
•
Donating millions of dollars in personal protective equipment (PPE) and other products to hospitals, healthcare providers and first responders
•
Prioritizing order fulfillment for hospitals, healthcare providers and first responders
•
Marshalling the resources of our merchandising and supply chain teams to globally source quality products and expedite the availability of needed items
Expanding Online and Delivery Options
To better serve you, we have expanded our car and delivery services to make it easier for you to have product delivered from our stores to your homes and businesses. In addition, we are always available for you online at homedepot.com, where you will find a wide array of product and delivery options to meet your needs.
Again, we thank you, our valued customers, for your patience and cooperation as we work through the challenges presented by COVID-19.
No comments:
Post a Comment