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Starbucks Offering 'Catastrophe Pay' For Employees Forced To Miss Time For Coronavirus

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – Starbucks announced Wednesday that it will offer "catastrophe pay" for employees who are diagnosed with coronavirus.

Washington State Continues Efforts To Limit Spread Of Coronavirus
A Starbucks coffee shop sits mostly empty at Amazon headquarters on March 10, 2020, in downtown Seattle, Wash. (John Moore/Getty Images)

The coffee giant reported that any employee who is either diagnosed or exposed to COVID-19 will receive up to 14 days of full sick pay, the company said in a letter to its workers.

If an employee must miss more work beyond the 14-day period, they can potentially get up to 26 weeks of pay.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-19 — the disease caused by the coronavirus — is spread from person-to-person through close contact, usually within 6 feet, and mainly via respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

Symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. People are likely most contagious when they are most symptomatic. Coronavirus can also be spread by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching your mouth, nose and eyes.

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