Monrovia-based Trader Joe’s announced Thursday that over the past eight months, 1,250 of its 53,000 employees have tested positive for COVID-19.There have also been two crew member deaths in which COVID-19 was suspected to be a contributing factor.
The grocery chain reports a positivity rate of 2.4% among its crew.
“We believe that the results in virtually all areas are below the average rates of positive cases in each community where we have stores,” Trader Joe’s said in a statement.
Among its 514 stores nationwide, 24% have had zero positive COVID-19 cases among its employees and 83% of stores had zero to four cases, the company says.
Of employees who tested positive, 95% completed a quarantine period, have recovered and have returned to work.
“The health and safety practices and procedures that have been put in place, and that continually evolve, have been effective because of the great work done by our crew members in every store, every day. We appreciate our crew members’ diligence and our customers’ patience as we work each day to make our stores safe for everyone,” said Jon Basalone, president of stores.
