I don’t think that Kroger needs any introduction as everyone has heard about it and has done shopping from its stores, at least once in their lifetime. Being the largest supermarket chain in the USA in terms of revenue, it is also the 7th largest private employer in the whole nation. More than 4,00,000 employees are working there at present and every year it continues hiring more. You can find almost everything related to your basic needs in kroger’s stores. It has a wide range of varieties in the items like bakery & dairy products, ice-creams & beverages, food items & pet foods, groceries, home durables, stationery & office supplies, and many more. Now we will see about Kroger’s Vacation Policy.
If you are an employee or are thinking to join it, for sure you are eager to know about its vacation policy like any other employee of any organization. And what if you get paid for it that will be super exciting. Yes, Kroger is also giving its employees paid vacation but only if the employee has completed 1 year of service. The period of a vacation varies depending on the employee’s job contract and based on seniority in the designation. After 1 year of full-time employment, you will get 1 week of paid vacation + 2 personal days from Kroger but, if you have worked here for 3 years, the vacation’s duration will increase to 2-weeks’ time + 3 personal days. It keeps on increasing at the end of every 2 years.
What are other types of paid leaves given by Kroger?
Apart from yearly Kroger’s paid vacation policy, it also pays for different types of leaves which are as follows: –
- Sick Leave – As per the feedback of many employees, a 3-day (for full-time) or 40 hours (for part-time) per year paid sick leave is granted in a year. Beyond that, if you fall sick, it is unpaid.
- Emergency COVID Leave – During the pandemic, the employees are paid for their leaves during the lockdown period. At the beginning of this year 2022, this scheme was withdrawn for the employees who have not been vaccinated yet. While on the other hand, vaccinated employees are rewarded with $100.
- Rest & Lunch Breaks – Rests are paid while lunch breaks are unpaid according to labor & federal laws. A 15-minute rest from work is allowed for 5-6 hours of working shifts, while for a shift of 7-hour or more, two breaks of 15-minutes are allowed and paid. A lunch break of at least 30 minutes and a maximum of 1 hour is allowed but unpaid by the company.
- Bereavement Leaves – They are the leaves granted for an unexpected & sudden demise of your beloved ones. Kroger grants you a paid 3-day leave for that but only if the person you lost was a close family member of yours (e.g. spouse/parents/ children). If it is a relative or friend then, you can also ask for a 3-day leave but, it would be unpaid.
On what factors Vacations & Leaves are granted?
- Based on Seniority – The approval of the vacations & their duration surely depends on the position for which you are hired. That means if two persons, one from lower-level management and the other from senior level, went to the HR for the approval of their vacations, the priority would be given to the person on senior level and obviously, the duration will be more as compared to the junior person.
- Based on Contract – The vacations will depend on whether the employee is hired on full-time employment or on a part-time basis. For part-time employees, vacations are calculated based on average weekly hours worked during the past year.
- Based on Serving Time – The duration of the vacations will depend on the years of service you have given to the company during your employment. An employee who is new and has joined recently in between the financial year will not be granted any vacation. For paid vacations, at least 1 year should have been completed. Plus an employee working for 5 years will be entitled to more weeks of vacation than an employee working for 3 years.
- What else does it offer as benefits/perks to its employees?
If you have chosen it as your working place, you’ll be entitled to endless beneficial perks offered by it.
For Full-time employees
- Life Insurance: – It is provided to all the employees, but part-time employees should have worked for a minimum no. of hours fixed by the company policy to avail of the insurance scheme.
- Health Benefits: – These include plans related to Dental, Medical, and Vision that are availed by the current employees as well as retired ones including their families.
- Retirement Plans: – All the full-time employees are covered under the 401(k) plan with a 5% company match.
- Stock Options: – Employees are offered a share in the company as a bonus for free or at a discounted rate than the normal market price.
- Discounts: – 10% discount on the purchase from its stores and on travel is offered by the company. In addition to it, you can get cell services at a discounted rate.
For Part-Time Employees
- Life Insurance Cover: – Can be availed only after working for a fixed no. of hours as decided by Kroger.
- Health Benefits: – Same as full time but one year should have been completed working here.
- Pay Checks: – These are paid on Weekly-Basis.
- Increment in Income: – Your income will be incremented on completing 6 months of serving the organization. You also become eligible to be considered for a full-time job after analyzing your 1-year work.
- Flexible Working Hours: – The flexibility in work schedule is beneficial for the college students who opt to work here to earn some money while studying.
- Discount: – 10% discount on the purchase of any items from its stores.
Conclusion
Kroger’s vacation policy depends on the terms of the contract of its employees. And giving paid leaves on the first anniversary of the service by an employee indicates that the organization is rewarding the employees for the loyalty and trust they have shown in it. All the employees are offered with so many financial & non-financial perks from time to time. So, choosing it as an employer will prove to be the right decision.
