PORTLAND, Ore. – December 18, 2018 – Progressive neighborhood grocer New Seasons Market announced the company will increase starting pay to $15 per hour for staff across Oregon, Washington and California in 2019, building on the company’s long history of supporting staff with industry-leading pay and benefits in the communities it serves. As part of the announcement, New Seasons’ sister company, New Leaf Community Markets, will additionally increase starting pay to $15 per hour for staff in Northern California.
“New Seasons Market and New Leaf Community Markets are committed to supporting staff with competitive pay and benefits as part of our founding values,” said Kristi McFarland, co-president of New Seasons Market. “We want to attract and retain the best people, and have been listening and responding to staff suggestions to assist their growth with the company and help our communities thrive.”
Effective February 1, 2019, the starting pay for all staff in Portland, SW Washington and Northern California will be $15 an hour, as part of a multi-year strategy that has resulted in a 50 percent increase in starting pay for the regions since 2015. Alongside a higher starting pay, New Seasons and New Leaf will make additional updates to the companies’ pay programs, including increased wage scales, more frequent pay increases, adjustments based on time with the company, and a simplified review process for more predictable pay progression. With all of these changes, more than 80 percent of New Seasons’ and New Leaf’s clerks will see an increase in pay in February.
“These updates have been our goal since our most recent major investment in starting pay in 2016 and we are happy to be able to make it happen even earlier than planned,” said Forrest Hoffmaster, co-president of New Seasons Market. “The grocery industry, as one of the largest employers of hourly workers, has an opportunity to improve equity and livability for the people working in stores, and we’re proud to be a leader in this area.”
The investments further New Seasons’ and New Leaf’s long commitment to progressive policies and programs nurturing staff and the communities served by the grocers’ combined 25 stores. As the world’s first B Corp grocery stores, New Seasons and New Leaf lead the industry with robust healthcare for all kinds of families, paid parental leave, secure lifestyle scheduling, paid volunteer opportunities, career development and more. New Seasons has also championed successful campaigns to raise the Oregon state minimum wage in 2016 and increase affordable housing in 2018, endorsed legislation to require fair and predictable scheduling for all workers, and has advocated for statewide paid family and medical leave, marriage equality and GMO labeling requirements.
For more information on New Seasons Market’s progressive employment practices, visit www.newseasonsmarket.com/progressivegrocer.
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About New Seasons Market
New Seasons Market is a West Coast neighborhood grocer with a people-first culture that builds and sustains relationships for the greater good. The world’s first B Corp grocery store, the company places as much value on taking care of its staff, its community and the environment as it does on growing and operating its business, resulting in genuine relationships between staff, vendors and customers. A respected champion of the regional food economy, it partners with farmers, ranchers and producers to deliver the best of the region, and pairs local, organic favorites with grocery classics to offer customers choice, value and flexibility. New Seasons started with a single store in Portland, Ore., in 2000 when three families and 50 friends united over shared values. Together with its 4,000 plus welcoming staff, New Seasons offers a unique retail experience in which communities come together to realize the potential of a healthy, sustainable food system. New Seasons has 21 neighborhood stores in Oregon, Washington and California, as well as four New Leaf Community Market locations in Northern California, and commits 10 percent of its after-tax profits back to the communities it serves. For more information, visit www.newseasonsmarket.com.
About New Leaf Community Markets
An organic and natural grocer with four stores along the Central Coast, New Leaf Community Markets has been serving the community for 33 years. New Leaf is committed to offering customers foods and products that have the most beneficial impact on their health and the health of the environment. Helping customers make informed decisions is an integral part of this commitment. A wholly owned subsidiary of New Seasons Market since November 2013, New Leaf Community Markets is the first grocer in California to achieve B Corporation certification, which means that New Leaf uses the power of business to solve social and economic problems. New Leaf’s mission, to nourish and sustain our community, is reflected in the 10 percent of profits given annually to support local nonprofits working to improve the quality of life. Connect at: www.newleaf.com.