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WHEREAS, Orange County remains in the most restrictive purple tier, where many non -essential business operations remain closed and the virus widespread; and WHEREAS, as of February 25, 2021, the WHO Situation Report reported a global total of 112,209,815 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 2,490,776 deaths; California reported 3,455,361 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 49,877 deaths; and Santa Ana has reported 43,835 cases of COVID-19, including 688 deaths; and WHEREAS, grocery and retail pharmacy stores are essential businesses operating in Santa Ana during the COVID-19 emergency, making grocery and retail pharmacy workers highly vulnerable to economic insecurity and health or safety risks; and WHEREAS, grocery and retail pharmacy workers have been unable to work from home, including those with children engaged in distance learning, and have therefore likely incurred additional childcare expenses; and WHEREAS, grocery and retail pharmacy workers are essential workers who perform services that are fundamental to the economy and health of the community during the COVID-19 crisis. They work in high risk conditions with inconsistent access to protective equipment and other safety measures; work in public situations with limited ability to engage in physical distancing; and continually expose themselves and the public to the spread of disease; and WHEREAS, premium pay, paid in addition to regular wages, is an established type of compensation for employees performing hazardous duty or work involving physical hardship that can cause extreme physical discomfort and distress; and WHEREAS, during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, many grocery companies provided premium pay, which was generally implemented as either a temporary hourly wage increase or a one-time bonus, but this practice has either generally been phased out or terminated; and WHEREAS, grocery and retail pharmacy workers working during the COVID-19 emergency merit additional compensation because they are performing hazardous duty due to the significant risk of exposure to the COVID-19 virus. Grocery and retail pharmacy workers have been working under these hazardous conditions for months. They are working in these hazardous conditions now and will continue to face safety risks as the virus presents an ongoing threat for an uncertain period, potentially resulting in subsequent waves of infection. Additionally, new and potentially more contagious variants of the coronavirus have now been detected in California; and WHEREAS, the availability of grocery and retail pharmacy stores is fundamental to the health of the community and is made possible during the COVID-19 emergency because grocery and retail pharmacy workers are on the frontlines of this devastating pandemic supporting public health, safety, and welfare by working in hazardous situations; and Ordinance No. NS-3002 Page 2 of 11