Managers at Ace Hardware at the Billings Heights location are helping employees stay afloat amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
General manager Dan Mitchell said he coordinated with Bob Hanson, owner of the Billings Heights Ace Hardware, to come up with a plan to keep employees compensated even if they cannot come to work.
Mitchell said that if employees are feeling sick and are concerned about coming to work because of the coronavirus, then they can stay at home and still be compensated.
“We have about 14, 15 people who did self-quarantine, either for their own concerns, or they were caring for someone who is of high risk,” said Mitchell.
Mitchell said that in total, about 18 employees are at home or coming back to work as they recover from non-coronavirus related illnesses.
A cashier at the Heights Ace Hardware location is happy to be at work and help the community at this time.
“I did choose to continue to come to work because we are short-handed all around and if everybody can work together, that will be good for everybody,” store cashier Dee Anna Edmisten said.
At the store, cashiers are wearing gloves, distancing themselves, and making sure that surfaces stay sanitized to help protect the employees and the community from any potential spread of COVID-19.
Mitchell said that he does not want his employees to have to choose between their safety and their livelihood.
“At the end of this, we have to be able to look ourselves in the mirror, we have to look our employees in the face, and say that we did the right thing,” he said.
