On March 15, 2021, the City Council of West Hollywood added new categories of workers to its existing hero pay mandate of $5.00 per hour worked for large-chain grocery store employees. The new ordinance goes into effect on April 16, 2021, and expires on August 16, 2021.

The City’s initial hero pay, which passed on February 16, 2021, applied only to large-chain grocery store employees. The new ordinance adds nonmanagerial and nonsupervisorial employees who work for either “drug retail stores” or “retail stores” to the list of workers entitled to hero pay. The new ordinance defines “drug retail store” as a store that sells prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and miscellaneous items such as beverages and canned foods. Covered “retail stores” are stores 85,000 square feet or larger and that dedicate 10 percent or more of their sales floor to retailing food products or drug retail products. The ordinance covers drug retail stores and retail stores only if they are part of chains that employ at least 300 workers nationally and 15 employees per store in West Hollywood.

The premium pay requirement for employees of covered grocery stores remains in effect from February 17, 2021, to June 17, 2021.