Fresh & Easy to Create More Than 200 Jobs in Two Months

Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market will create 200 jobs over the next two months as the company continues to expand in Southern California, Arizona and Nevada, the company said, adding it created nearly 3,000 jobs in 2008, Convenience Store News reported.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the United States' unemployment rate in December 2008 was 7.2 percent, up from 4.6 percent in December 2007. National unemployment is at a 16-year high, according to reports.

Fresh & Easy aims to recruit staff from the local neighborhood whenever possible, and offers a great opportunity for advancement, noted the El Segundo, Calif.-based division of U.K. grocer Tesco.

More than 50 percent of Fresh & Easy store employees live within four miles of the store where they work, and since opening in November 2007, Fresh & Easy has promoted nearly 300 people, according to the company.

"We are thrilled to continue to create quality, local jobs with tremendous opportunity for advancement," said Fresh & Easy CEO Tim Mason. "We know people are looking for jobs with good pay and comprehensive benefits, and we are proud to be part of the solution."

Entry-level positions start at $10 an hour in California, with similarly competitive salaries in other states, and include a quarterly bonus of up to 10 percent.
 
Additionally, all store employees are given the opportunity to work at least 20 hours per week, which makes them eligible for medical, prescription drug, dental and vision coverage, with Fresh & Easy paying at least 75 percent of the cost, the company said. Each store employs about 20 to 30 people.
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