Workers file lawsuits against McDonald’s for failing to protect workers AND public health

McDonald’s is not just a threat to its workers, they are a threat to public health, according to a suit.

In a recent survey, 22 percent of McDonald’s workers report they have gone to work feeling sick during the COVID-19 pandemic because they simply can’t afford not to. A McDonald’s restaurant in Florida instructed employees to avoid wearing masks, which might scare away customers. After public outcry, McDonald’s implemented paid sick leave for those required to quarantine — at less than 10% of their stores — leaving behind a majority of their employees.

Without proper protections, workers are at risk not just of contracting the virus, but spreading it. That’s why Chicago McDonald’s workers and their family members filed a class action suit over the company’s failed COVID-19 response Tuesday.

Additionally, workers in LA filed an administrative action after CAL/OSHA failed to respond to workers’ complaints of “imminent danger.”

Workers in both cities cite a lack of basic safety equipment, the inability for proper social distancing, and managers that keep knowledge of infection among staff from workers.

McDonald’s employees face an impossible, ongoing choice: Our livelihood versus the health of the public, our families, and ourselves.

We refuse to back down until we can wake up in the morning without having to make that choice. Help keep ALL of us safe — sign our petition demanding McDonald’s take action to protect workers and our communities today.