CVS Health issued a statement to clarify its workplace policies a few days after more than 4,000 employees signed a petition demanding paid sick leave and protective gear, according to Business Insider.
Lisa Bisaccia, executive vice president and chief human resources officer at CVS, said in a news release issued March 18 that employees who are quarantined for exposure to COVID-19 or diagnosed with the disease will get 14 days of paid sick leave.
In addition, CVS employees can now request time off to care for family members who are diagnosed with COVID-19.
CVS Health issued the workplace policy news release about four days after a CVS pharmacy technician started a petition on Change.org asking CVS for paid sick leave and protective gear. As of 8:50 a.m. CDT March 19, more than 4,000 employees had signed the petition.
"Our goal is to have updated paid sick leave policies that will ensure workers get paid for sick days and for caring for sick family in the mist [sic] of COVID-19. At the very minimum, CVS should provide a crisis rate for workers still reporting to work and have protective gear (gloves, masks) and enough cleaning supplies for employees," the petition states.
Though the policy clarification from CVS Health publically addresses paid sick leave and time off, it does not address the request for protective gear or a crisis rate of pay.
A spokesperson for CVS told Business Insider that the sick leave and time-off policies were implemented Feb. 3.
The policy was also mentioned to the public in a March 8 news release that addressed a COVID-19 exposure at our pharmacy in Queensbury, N.Y, a CVS spokesperson told Becker's Hospital Review.
The spokesperson added that the company is following the CDC's guidance and providing personal protective equipment to healthcare workers who might be treating people who have COVID-19.