Employer Partnership Initiative
Statement from Costco
COSTCO WHOLESALE
16616 Twin Lakes Ave., Marysville, WA 98271
My name is John Dominguez and I am the Merchandise Mgr for the Marysville Costco. I’m also in the Army Reserves. In the past 10 years I’ve worked for Costco, I’ve been called up for duty twice. Once just after 9/11 and again in May of 2005. During my mobilization in 2005, I was stationed at Fort Lewis for a year. While I was not stationed overseas, I still was separated from my family, only seeing my family on a few long weekends. One of the most important benefits Costco had to offer me was my health benefits. My wife and I where expecting our fourth child and we did not want to change health providers in the middle of our pregnancy. Costco made the transition a smooth experience.
I’m not the only veteran in our Management Staff, our Warehouse Manager. is a retired Navy Captain, our Foods Mgr and Center Mgr are former Air Force, plus we have several other employees with some military service in their background.
All employees at Costco are entitled to a military leave beginning with the first day of employment. Upon returning to work with Costco after a military leave, employees qualify for the following benefits:
Employees must return to the same or equivalent position, with their original date of hire.
The rate of pay is where their pay would have been if they never left (which usually means employees will get a pay raise unless they were topped out on the pay scale prior to their leave).
There is no waiting period for benefits (additional dependents may be added)
- Vacation accrual is at the same rate, as if he/she never left
- Employees may be entitled to 401 (k) contributions
- If while on leave with the military, they become qualified for bonuses, they will retain their eligibility once they return to Costco.
In addition; employee’s who are involuntarily called to active duty may be eligible for supplemental pay, which means Costco will make up the difference between their military pay and what they would have made if they continued to work for Costco. This benefit will last for the length of their leave.
Costco covers the entire cost of benefits for all military employees out on leave of absence. This will last for the length of their leave. At Costco we send out military care packages 3-5 times per year to all employees serving overseas, which include things like:
- Video games
- Foods
- Clean socks, washcloths, towels, etc
- Movies
- Personalized thank you cards
- Phone cards
And much, much more!
Our CEO Jim Sinegal has also sent out personal thank you cards to our employee’s in the military last year during the Christmas season. Costco has received many letters of gratitude from these employees overseas for the care packages. Jim has even received a flag that was flown in a fighter jet on a mission in Iraq last year as a thank you for his efforts.
At Costco, we do not differentiate between military and non-military families when interviewing and hiring employees for our warehouses. As far as I have seen, Military personnel and families are a valued asset to our community and our work force.
Thank you.
John M. Dominguez
Merchandise Manager
Marysville Costco #642
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