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Even though its stores are still closed, this company is paying its employees in Puerto Rico

Posted at 7:25 AM, Nov 08, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-08 08:46:16-05

It's been six weeks since Maria left Puerto Rico in shambles. The hurricane-ravaged island is still contending with widespread power and water shortages, and dozens of stores remain closed.

But for employees of three stores, being without work hasn't meant being without a paycheck.

TJX Companies, which owns TJ Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods, has continued to pay its employees.

A company spokeswoman confirmed the payments to CNN after she was asked about a Facebook post that's been shared more than 41,000 times.

"We believe it is the right thing for us to do under these circumstances," TJX spokeswoman Erika Tower said in an emailed statement.

In the Facebook post, Iván Meléndez praised Marshalls for the payments and for providing supplies to employees, including his son.

"Thanks to the Marshalls stores for such an honorable gesture," reads Meléndez's post in Spanish. "From now on I'm going to support this chain even more."

The Massachusetts-based company owns 29 stores across Puerto Rico. It's unclear how many of those stores remain closed or how many people the stores employ. The spokeswoman wouldn't go into details.