Walmart to start taking employee temperatures and distribute masks and gloves - The Dallas Morning News

Walmart said Tuesday it will begin temperature checks for all employees before they start their shifts.

The world’s largest retailer is also making masks and gloves available for employees who want to wear them. The new steps come as grocery workers increasingly become worried about being at the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic.

Grocery stores and pharmacies are required to stay open when local and state officials declare shelter-in-place orders. On Monday, some employees of an Amazon fulfillment center in New York walked out after an employee tested positive. Instacart employees have also become vocal about their safety as they fill online grocery orders.

At Walmart, the additional steps come as the retailer has shortened store hours to allow for a deeper cleaning of stores overnight, hired more people, offered coronavirus leave policy and started adding sneeze guards at checkouts.

In addition to taking temperatures, Walmart said it will ask some basic health screening questions.

It’s in the process of sending infrared thermometers to all it locations which it said could take up to three weeks to reach its 5,355 Walmart, Neighborhood Market and Sam’s Clubs in the U.S. It employs 1.4 million people.

Masks and gloves will arrive in 1-2 weeks, Walmart said. While the CDC and other health officials don’t recommend masks and gloves for healthy people who don’t already use them for their jobs, Walmart said it will make them available “as supplies permit” for employees who want to wear them.

An employee with a temperature of 100 degrees will be sent home and will be paid for reporting to work, then asked to seek medical treatment in necessary. The employee can’t return to work until they are fever-free for at least three days, Walmart said.

Walmart said many employees have already been taking their temperatures at home. It’s also asking them to look out for other symptoms of the virus such as “coughing, feeling achy, difficulty breathing and never come to work when they don’t feel well.”

Twitter: @MariaHalkias

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