Conagra Brands (CAG -0.95%), a major food processing company, announced today that it will give all of its workers at its American, Canadian, and Mexican facilities a cash bonus. Part-time employees will receive $250 each, while full-time workers are eligible for $500. The payment is intended to recognize the "hard work and dedication" of the company's workforce during the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, according to President and CEO Sean Connolly.
The company also states that any of its workers who fall ill with the coronavirus will continue to receive their normal pay while they are receiving treatment. These individuals will also be paid the "recognition bonus."
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Extra sanitation measures at Conagra's approximately 50 production plants in Canada, Mexico, and the United States aim at keeping infections to a minimum. The company has increased cleaning above its ordinary level in common areas of the facilities. Conagra pointed out that the coronavirus has seemingly never been transmitted via food, but that safety is "top-of-mind" during all their production processes.
Demand for food products has been exceptionally high in recent weeks as Americans stockpile supplies to weather the pandemic, putting pressure on food industry workers attempting to keep supermarkets supplied with food, including those at Conagra. Connolly declared that the bonuses are well-deserved, adding, "I thank each team member for their extraordinary efforts to meet the needs of consumers, achieve outstanding customer service levels and keep our plants operating effectively and efficiently."
