McDonald's is fighting a bill that would require businesses with 50-500 employees, which includes the fast-food chain's United States restaurants, to pay its employees two weeks of sick leave amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
"We know that the funding mechanism and the repayment timing could cripple small-business owners," McDonald's VP of US Communications David Tovar said, citing a plan for the company to use a tax credit to cover the sick leave cost.
"To be clear, McDonald's supports the bill that would provide sick leave support to employees impacted by Coronavirus, and in fact, McDonald's and many of its franchise owners have already committed to offer those same benefits to potentially diagnosed employees," another McDonald's representative told Business Insider. "At the same time, we are sensitive to the economic pressures independent owner-operators face and are supportive of efforts to ensure they have the cash flow needed to keep their employees working."
McDonald's has already closed seating areas at all its company-owned stores, making them drive-thru only and encouraging its franchisees (which make up 95% of the restaurants in the country) to do the same.
Presently, an estimated 517,000 McDonald's employees are without paid sick leave.
For more information on COVID-19, along with basic protective measures such as social distancing, please visit the World Health Organization website.