BJ’s Wholesale Club COVID-19 Update

* This is a living document that will be updated on a regular basis until it is no longer needed. For the most up-to-date information, please visit the BJ’s Newsroom page.

April 6

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Dear member,

The health and safety of our members, team members and communities remain our top priority. We have taken additional measures to ensure a safe shopping experience.

• Temperature Checks for Team Members: Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have asked all team members who are sick to remain home. Soon, we will check the temperatures of team member as they report to work in all our locations. If any team member has an elevated temperature, they will be directed to return home and seek medical care if necessary.

• Masks and Gloves: In the coming weeks, we will make masks and gloves available, as supplies permit, to team members who want to wear them. We will provide high-quality masks, but will not provide N95 respirators, which should be reserved for healthcare workers.

• Increased Wages: We previously announced that all hourly team members in our clubs, distribution centers and home office will earn an additional $2 per hour for each hour worked. We are extending this wage increase for hourly team members in our clubs, distribution centers and home office for each hour worked through May 2, 2020.

• Closed on Easter: All BJ’s clubs will be closed on Easter Sunday, April 12, 2020 to give team members a day to rest and recharge.

• Social Distancing: We have implemented new operational processes to encourage social distancing in our clubs including posting instructional signage throughout every club; dedicating team members to ensure members wait in line at an appropriate distance while checking out; and making audio announcements.

• Capacity Limits in Clubs: We will limit the number of members allowed inside clubs at one time. The number of members allowed in clubs will vary by location based on the square footage of each club. No more than 20% of a club’s total capacity will be allowed in the building at any given time. When possible, all members are encouraged to send only one person per household to shop in club. This policy will help promote social distancing efforts and ensure a safer environment for members and team members.

• Supporting our Hospitals: The BJ’s Charitable Foundation has contributed $1 million to COVID-19 relief efforts, and BJ’s clubs have donated countless items to first responders, healthcare workers and nonprofits to help support their communities. In addition to $500,000 previously donated to support COVID-19 relief efforts, our foundation will contribute another $500,000 to support hospitals throughout the states in which we operate.

Our clubs will continue to offer a daily shopping hour for members age 60 and over to shop in a less crowded environment. These members can use a designated entrance and shop from 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. daily at all locations. In addition, our clubs are closing earlier to give team members more time to restock, sanitize and recharge. Please visit bjs.com/locations to check hours at your club.

To see everything we are doing to encourage a safe and healthy shopping experience, please click here.

Thank you for being a loyal member,
BJ’s Wholesale Club

March 23

BJ’s Wholesale Club (announced increased wages and bonuses for frontline team members; dedicated shopping hours for members age 60 and over; and contributions from the BJ’s Charitable Foundation that support local and national organizations providing essential services and support to those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Now, more than ever, we’re committed to supporting our team members and members while providing essential services to our communities during these challenging times,” said Lee Delaney, President and Chief Executive Officer, BJ’s Wholesale Club. “We are grateful to be a reliable resource for our members and we couldn’t do it without the continued dedication of our team members. We’re proud of their hard work and are pleased to recognize them with increased pay and bonuses.”

As an essential business, BJ’s will continue to operate under state of emergency and shelter in place orders recently issued in the U.S. Protecting team members, members and communities is the company’s top priority.

BJ’s has launched a number of programs to support team members during this time of need:

Increased Wages:

All hourly team members in the company’s clubs, distribution centers and home office will earn an additional $2 per hour for each hour worked beginning March 23, 2020 through at least April 12, 2020.

 

Bonus Incentives:

At the end of March, managers and key personnel in the clubs and distribution centers will receive a one-time bonus, ranging from $500 to $1,000.

Team Member Paid Leave:

BJ’s previously issued an emergency paid leave policy to support team members during this unprecedented time. The emergency paid leave policy includes:

  • Waived absenteeism policy
  • Pay for up to fourteen days when under mandated quarantine
  • Pay through a mix of accrued sick time and company paid time if a team member tests positive for coronavirus and needs to self-quarantine

 

Team Member Relief:

Aisle Help, the company’s employee relief fund, is available to team members facing financial hardship and most impacted by the coronavirus

Increased Workforce:

BJ’s is actively hiring for permanent and temporary positions in clubs throughout its footprint in the Eastern United States.

Travel and Work from Home Policy:

BJ’s previously announced a ban on all team member travel unless business critical. The home office team members who are able to are working from home until further notice. In addition to the programs for team members, BJ’s is supporting its members and communities.

Dedicated Shopping Hours: All locations have a designated shopping hour from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. daily for its members age 60 and over.

Member Safety:

BJ’s continues to follow recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to ensure clubs exceed the company’s already high standards for general hygiene and health practices.

Getting Members What They Need:

The company is focused on getting high-demand products to its clubs as quickly as possible and offering members alternative shopping methods like Buy Online, Pick Up in-Club and Same-Day Delivery.

Today, the BJ’s Charitable Foundation also announced $500,000 in donations to support local and national organizations providing essential services and support to those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Local Impact:

BJ’s is donating $400,000 to support local community foundations to help expand relief and assistance to those most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Local nonprofit recipients include the Boston Foundation, the New York Community Trust, Community Foundation of New Jersey and United Way of Miami-Dade.

National Impact:

BJ’s is proud of its longtime partnership with Feeding America®, the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. BJ’s has committed to donating $100,000 to support Feeding America’s COVID-19 Response Fund and to help assist its network of member food banks to meet the increased demand for meals.

Feeding Communities:

BJ’s continues to support food banks across its footprint through its Feeding Communities program, donating food on a regular basis to support local relief efforts.

March 19

We are here to serve you in these challenging times. BJ’s provides essential services in our communities, giving you access to food and other products you and your families need during this time. We are considered an essential business and will continue to operate under state of emergency and shelter in place orders recently issued in the U.S.

 

We continue to closely monitor the coronavirus situation and our priority remains the health and safety of our team members, members and communities. We continue to follow recommendations and guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other health organizations to help ensure our clubs exceed our already high standards for general hygiene and health practices.

We’ll continue to take precautions to keep our clubs and other facilities clean and help ensure the well-being of our team members, members and community, following protocols from health experts and relevant federal and state agencies.

What is BJ’s doing to keep members safe?

The safety of our members, team members and our community always our top priority. We are following recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local authorities in taking extra safety measures in all our locations. We have implemented enhanced cleaning procedures on top of our already high standards. We are cleaning high-traffic surfaces like shopping cart handles, bathrooms, checkout lanes and touchscreens with greater frequency, and have provided additional sanitization supplies in all clubs for member and team member use. Out of an abundance of caution, we also are temporarily stopping food sampling in our clubs.

Are items in stock at BJ’s?

We know many of you are shopping more in our clubs to buy essential items. Our teams are increasing shipments into the clubs and working hard to keep high-demand products like cleaning supplies, food and medicine in stock. Despite our best efforts, there have been and will continue to be isolated situations where we are temporarily out of stock on an item. We ask for your patience as demand for some items currently exceeds our suppliers’ capacity to produce them.

Are there item limits?

We may limit the number of items per trip on select products to allow more members to purchase what they need.

Are you opening early or adding dedicated hours for seniors to shop?

All BJ’s Wholesale Club locations are opening one hour early beginning Sunday, March 22, 2020 for members who are age 60 and over to shop in a less crowded environment. People ages 60 and up can use a designated entrance, from 8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m. daily at our Clubs. Although we will not be requesting ID for entry, we ask that you please respect the purpose of the early opening – and do the right thing for your neighbors. Club Team Members do reserve the right to ask members to leave if they are not a member of this age group.

How else can I shop?

Members can shop in-Club, on BJs.com or through our mobile app and through our Same Day Delivery service. Please understand that we may experience some delays due to high demand.

How are you protecting your team members?

Our team members have been working hard to serve our community and be there for you and your families and we’re doing everything we can to help support them.

We have provided new health protocols and information to help keep our team members safe.

We have waived our absenteeism policy so team members can stay home if they need to.

If team members are under mandated quarantine, they will receive their standard pay for up to 14 days.

If a team member test positive for coronavirus, they are able to use accrued sick time and will receive their standard pay for any additional time needed for up to 14 days.

The Aisle Help fund is available to team members facing financial hardship.

What happens if a team member in one of your locations tests positive for coronavirus?

If a team member tests positive for coronavirus we take the following steps:

  • Immediately conduct thorough sanitation and deep cleaning of the club that is reviewed by local and state health officials.
  • Notify local and state health officials of the confirmed diagnosis.
  • Notify team members and address any concerns.
  • Follow any additional guidelines that may be recommended by the CDC or local and state health officials.
  • In partnership with local and state health officials, we will aim to keep any impacted club open to continue to serve the community.

How are you compensating team members in the clubs during this time?

Our team members are going above and beyond to serve our members during this unprecedented time. Starting March 23, 2020 through end of day on April 12, 2020, all hourly team members in the company’s clubs, distribution centers and home office will earn an additional $2 per hour for each hour worked.

At the end of March, managers and key personnel in our clubs and distribution centers will also receive a separate one-time bonus in recognition of their commitment to our members, team members and communities. These bonuses range from $500 – $1,000.

BJ’s Optical

We have taken many steps as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to mitigate risk and protect our team members, members and communities. These include enhanced cleaning and sanitation procedures for our clubs and BJ’s Optical. Out of an abundance of caution, and based on the latest recommendations from health officials, we have made the decision to temporarily close all BJ’s Optical centers from March 21, 2020 until further notice. Members who have glasses on order with us will still be able to pick up their order during this time. BJ’s Optical Team Members will be offered shifts that align with their standard schedule and availability in other areas of our clubs to serve our members and community.