Finally some good news from the world of supermarkets!
Kroger, the largest supermarket chain in the United States and one of the country’s largest employers, confirmed today that it will be providing full health benefits to transgender employees, including coverage of gender-affirming surgeries, reports The Advocate.
According to Kroger spokeswoman Patty Leesemann, the new health plan will be available January 2016 to non-union employees. She could not give an estimate as to what percentage of Kroger’s more than 400,000 employees that included.
Kroger already received high ratings on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, which rated the employer at 85 out of 100, but the ranking noted the Cincinnati-based grocery company did not cover transgender health care.
Ralphs, the major supermarket chain in the Southern California area is the largest subsidiary of Cincinnati-based Kroger. It is the oldest such chain west of the Mississippi River. Kroger also operates stores under the Food 4 Less and Foods Co. names in California.
