Hy-Vee employees lose 10% discount as officials allege program abuse

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Hy-Vee employees have lost their 10% discount following claims from officials that people are abusing the program.

Employees who work at the grocery store, which has five locations in Lincoln, were notified of the change on Friday.

On Monday, officials said in a statement that there has been a “significant uptick” in people using the program despite not living in the same household as an employee.

Officials also allege that there were “other fraudulent practices and loopholes” within the program, according to the statement.

The program is currently being revamped and is expected to relaunch by mid-April, officials say.

Hy-Vee’s full statement:

On Friday, Feb. 17, Hy-Vee issued communication to its employees that its Employee Discount Program would be suspended starting today, Feb. 20, so it could be revamped over the upcoming weeks. This program was originally launched in 2019 with specific guidelines that would allow employees and one member of their household to utilize a 10% everyday employee discount. Over the past several months, a significant uptick in the amount of users utilizing the Employee Discount who were not living in the same household or living in other cities was identified, in addition to other fraudulent practices and loopholes that were occurring within the program. The discrepancies found were significant enough to signal a much broader issue that needed to be addressed immediately. We are currently in the process of revamping the program with the goal to relaunch the benefit to our employees by mid-April. We still offer one of the most competitive and comprehensive benefit packages in the retail industry. Those benefits include some of the following:

∙ A free Hy-Vee Plus premium membership, which includes free delivery and Express Hy-Vee Aisles Online pickup as well as other free monthly items, exclusive discounts and other perks.

∙ Weekly pay as a faster, more convenient way to receive a paycheck.

∙ A 401(k) plan with a matching contribution

∙ Holiday pay for retail employees.

∙ Part-time insurance with an employer contribution based on eligibility.

∙ Career development opportunities through Hy-Vee University.

∙ Up to $10,500 in annual tuition assistance with Bellevue University, plus immediate family members of Hy-Vee employees can receive up to $2,500 in annual tuition assistance from Hy-Vee.

∙ Free Doctor on Demand telehealth visits with select insurance plans.

∙ A 10% employee discount on RedBoxRx.com pharmacy orders.

∙ Access to Care.com to connect with service providers to care for families, pets and more.

∙ Exclusive perks through PerkSpot.com, including discounts on childcare, electronics, cell phone plans, entertainment and more.