Kroger, the largest supermarket chain in the US, extends health insurance to cover gender reassignment

Employees on the company health plan will get $100,000 towards gender reassignment surgery and drug therapy from the beginning of 2016

Kroger posted new of the announcement on its internal network on Friday night (Rex)

The largest supermarket chain in the US has extended health benefits to employees covered under the company insurance plan, the comppany has confirmed.

Kroger has 400 stores in the US and more than 400,000 employees, making it the seventh largest employer in the country.

Those workers that use the company insurance plan, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, will be able to claim up to $100,000 towards gender reassignment surgery and drug therapy from the beginning of 2016.

Kroger posted new of the announcement on its internal network on Friday night. A copy of the internal memo, seen by the Independent, reads: "These changes are a culmination of efforts to actively engage our leaders by educating them on the specific needs of our transgender associates and empowering them with a voice and venue to share their stories."

The story hit the papers in the US when Britney McGannon, who has worked full time for Krogers in Cincinnati for more than a decade and has been undergoing gender reassignment for three years, posted news of the announcement on her Facebook page. McGannon said she had been talking openly with colleagues about her position has contributed to Kroger's decision.

“I am pretty excited. I never thought when I came out three years ago that with a little bit of work, I could help make a big change and help so many other people,” McGannon told local reporters on Sunday. “I never thought that would happen.”