Telecommunications organisation Verizon is enhancing pay to ensure that its on-site employees are financially supported during the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, effective immediately.
Employees that are unable to work from home, due to their customer-facing roles, will receive pay enhancements as part of the organisation’s’essential on-sire services pay‘ programme. Eligible employees, such as real estate employees, field technicians and those working in logistics, will receive an increase in their base hourly rate.
A third of Verizon’s employees are also keeping their work vehicles at their homes to support the social distancing requirements.
Verizon has additionally implemented a Coronavirus leave of absence policy, where those who are infected by the virus, are entitled to up to 26 weeks paid leave. Employees who are instructed to stay at home will receive eight weeks of full pay, and an additional six weeks of paid leave at 60% of their salary.
Christy Pambianchi, chief human resources officer at Verizon, said: “In every facet of our business, we’ve initiated new and innovative ways to transition traditional roles to work-from-home functions whenever possible.
“These new efforts will allow us to redeploy thousands of our retail employees to support customer service functions and engage in telesales from their homes.
“Now, more than ever, our networks must remain operational as we continue to provide essential services to healthcare employees and facilities, first responders, schools, businesses, and families.
“From the very beginning, ensuring the health and safety of our employees has been our highest priority. We’re leaving no stone unturned and doing everything within our power to make sure our employees are kept safe and healthy as they bring essential products and services to our customers.”