July 8, 2008 05:52 AM EDT
WQAD, IL
by Kristy Mergenthal
GALESBURG, Illinois -- Fifteen employees from Burlington Iowa's Walmart are keeping their jobs are floods have closed part of route 34.
Walmart first began allowing employees to work at different stores during a natural disaster after Hurricane Katrina, now that program is being used for victims of this years flood.
Inside Galesburg's Walmart, there are 350 employees willing to help. Now fifteen new smiling faces are joining in.
"I'm very glad I'm able to do this to continue to work" said Nancy Reynolds.
Two of those employees are Jamie and Nancy Reynolds, the mother son duo coming in from Burlington Iowa's store after flooding has made traveling route 34 nearly impossible.
"To get to Burlington store you've got to go stronghurst, just about 140 miles round trip. I'm used to taking 25 minute drive over to work and back" said Jamie Reynolds.
The Reynolds round trip is now seventy miles. Twice as long as their normal trip to work, but short enough to still make money.
"With price and inflation going up in times like this need to keep job get bills paid" said Jamie Reynolds.
While the flood didn't consume the Reynolds home, each year hundreds of Walmart employees do face devastation from natural disaster especially after Hurricane Katrina.
"Primarily southern states had a lot of people that moved to be around different family members" said Galesburg Walmart manager Travis Willhite.
Without Walmart allowing its employees to shift stores, many would be without income wondering what's in store for the future.
"That way I know definitely have a job instead of sitting at home didn't know how long road will be closed" said Jamie Reynolds.
Both Nancy and Jamie don't expect to be in Galesburg much longer. They hope to be back in Burlington in a couple of weeks.
ATLANTA, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Retail leader Wal-Mart Stores Inc said on Tuesday that it was expanding health benefits for workers, including offering a 2009 program that provides pre-pregnancy and child development services...
