PepsiCo, Inc. announced that it will be enhancing the benefits package available to all of its frontline employees in the U.S., which includes the people who make, move, and sell products, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
The additional compensation covers more than 90,000 frontline employees at both PepsiCo Beverages North America (PBNA) and PepsiCo Foods North America (PFNA) and consists of a minimum of an incremental $100 per week for full-time employees over the next month. PepsiCo also announced it is seeking to hire 6,000 full-time, full-benefit frontline employees across the U.S. in the coming months.
 
“With COVID-19 reshaping the way we run our business and live our lives, it’s important that we acknowledge the people keeping us steady during turbulent times, notably the heroic work of the millions of doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals around the world,” PepsiCo chairman and CEO Ramon Laguarta said. “At the same time, there is important work being done in other sectors, including our own, to help maintain the supply of foods and beverages. We couldn’t be prouder of our PepsiCo team for the role they play in restocking pantries and refrigerators.”
 
The enhanced benefits package to all U.S. employees includes:
 
– Employees who must quarantine will receive 100% of their pay for a quarantine period up to 14 days. It will not reduce accrued unused sick days, nor will it affect attendance records.

– Employees who have been assessed by a doctor and are either symptomatic or diagnosed with COVID-19 will receive 100% of their pay during the 14-day quarantine period.

– Employees caring for a family member living in the same household who has been assessed by a doctor and is either symptomatic or diagnosed with COVID-19 will also receive full payment during the 14-day quarantine period. Beginning week 3, if they are not able to work from home, they will receive a minimum of two-thirds of their pay for up to ten weeks. If they are working from home, their full pay will be continued.

– Employees who work at a facility that must be closed will receive 100% pay for up to 12 weeks.

– Employees who are impacted by school or day care center closure with no one home to look after a child will receive a minimum two-thirds of their pay for up to 12 weeks if they are not able to work from home.

– Employees are also eligible for free COVID-19 testing, a “crisis care” reimbursement of $100 daily for child care, and access to specially-trained mental health professionals.
 
“There’s hardly a pantry in America that does not have a Frito-Lay and Quaker product, and in recent weeks, providing those products has become increasingly challenging,” PFNA CEO Steven Williams said. “Our frontline employees – the people you see stocking your favorite bags of chips or canisters of oats, the people driving those products there and the ones originally making them in plants across the country – are the backbone of PepsiCo Foods and we appreciate their heroic efforts.” 
 
“At this unprecedented time, which is having a profound impact on all of us, we are so grateful to our frontline employees for all they are doing to ensure our products are available for families across the country,” PBNA CEO Kirk Tanner said.  “We know our products on store shelves provide a sense of stability and normalcy to consumers during trying times. This is our way to recognize the critical role our frontline plays in our organization, now and always.”
 
PepsiCo said that it is increasing the cleaning frequency of its facilities and assets, expanding the availability of gloves and actively encouraging good hygiene, has stepped up visitor screenings and restrictions, and where possible, has decreased routing and merchandising to minimize exposure.
 
PepsiCo also has plans to invest in the fight against COVID-19 through a portion of its $67 billion yearly net revenue (as of 2019).
 
Through its philanthropic arm, PepsiCo will invest $11 million to provide food, water, and other critical support to communities affected by COVID-19 around the world. In the U.S., it has partnered with the USDA and the Baylor Colaborative on Hunger and Poverty to deliver one million food boxes to students in rural America, and has committed one million dollars so far.
 
The company has also donated $100,000 to Feeding Westchester to help distribute shelf-stable meals and fresh produce to local residents across Westchester County, New York.
 
PepsiCo is donating $200,000 to each Red Cross in Italy, Spain, and France, and is donating $100,000 to the Red Cross in Lebanon. PepsiCo is also investing $1.5 million with the Global FoodBanking Network to provide water and nutrition solutions to 12 countries in Latin America affected by COVID-19. The company provided $1.1 million to Hubei Red Cross Foundation and China Women’s Development Foundation to provide protective gear and help frontline responders’ and physicians’ efforts in the fight against the spread of the coronavirus in severely affected areas of China.