Sodexo extends paid sick leave for US staff affected by COVID-19

Sodexo has announced that it will provide sick pay for all US employees, (full- and part-time), for up to 21 work days if they have a confirmed case COVID-19, or if asked not to come to work for showing coronavirus symptoms. Vacation time and other paid time off will not have to be used for any virus-related absence, according to the services and facilities management company. 

After employees exhaust their accrued sick leave, Sodexo says it will provide additional sick leave for up to 21 regularly scheduled workdays at no cost to the employee, regardless of how many sick days the employee has accrued. If employees are unable to return to work at that point, then they will be permitted to borrow up to seven additional days of sick leave. In addition, “any absences related to Sodexo’s COVID-19 policy will not count against an employee’s attendance record”, confirmed the company. 

“Sodexo is committed to the health and safety of our employees, our clients and the communities we serve, and that includes supporting our employees where we can if they get sick as they service our clients,” stated Sodexo USA President Sarosh Mistry. “Our employees are our number one asset and whether part time or full time we need to support them. As the service industry deals with the business implications of COVID-19, it’s just as important that we look at the human impact of our work as it is that we look at the bottom line. Our long-standing commitment to our employees is something we will stand by, especially at a time like this.”

PRIORITISING STAFF HEALTH

Sodexo is also coordinating globally to manage its business continuity and pandemic plans to support and protect its employees and consumers across all of its geographies. “The health and safety of Sodexo employees and consumers is our utmost priority,” stated the global company. 

The services and facilities management company has reinforced the existing rules for food safety, personal hygiene and infection control which will reduce the risk of this, or any other virus, spreading. It has also restricted all non-essential business travel until further notice, as a precaution. 

“Local teams have been proactively managing the response with our clients since the outbreak was first announced, ensuring business continuity and the safety of the teams and consumers in the various geographies where we operate,” confirmed the company.  As the situation is an evolving one, Sodexo teams are adhering to guidelines of health advisories and local authorities and will continue to closely monitor the situation.