Altice USA said it is offering a premium pay increase to employees in customer-facing field service and retail positions in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Effective immediately and retroactive to March 28, Altice USA employees in customer-facing roles will receive a 20% pay premium increase based on hours worked, the company said.

Related: Facing Up to COVID-19

Altice has taken several steps to battle the coronavirus outbreak. As of April 2, it said most of its employee base is now working remotely. To assist at-home connectivity for its workers, the company is increasing the complimentary data speed offering provided to its employees to 200 megabits per second. In addition, the company is:

• Offering paid administrative leave, in addition to sick, personal and vacation time, for employees who are quarantined or diagnosed with COVID-19.
  

• For the essential work that cannot be conducted from home, Altice USA has introduced a series of preventative measures including:
• Increasing the frequency and intensity of cleaning and disinfecting in locations that remain open;
• Adjusting practices in call centers and implementing zoning to ensure the recommended social distancing guidelines;
• Limiting the number of customers inside open retail stores; and
• Changing procedures for technicians entering customer homes, which includes, among other measures: taking daily temperature checks; making pre-calls to ensure a customer is not sick; providing nitrile gloves, hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes to be used during service visits; and having technicians use personal remote devices to avoid touching customer equipment.

Altice USA also has opened its Altice Advantage broadband service for free for 60 days to any households with K-12 and/or college students who do not currently have home internet access. The company also joined the Federal Communications Commission’s “Keep Americans Connected Pledge,” which provides relief to customers impacted by the pandemic.