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McDonald's begins shifts with employee health checks

McDonald's now begins shifts with a series of employee health questions (photo: iStock).

April 2, 2020

McDonald's and its franchisees are stepping up business action to ensure employees "are feeling their best at the beginning of each shift," a news release said. 

The brand said at the beginning of each employee's shift it asks:

• Does the employee have symptoms associated with COVID-19?
• Has the employee been diagnosed with COVID-19?
• Has the employee been in "close contact in the past 14 days" with anyone diagnosed with COVID-19?
• Has a health official or provider told the employee to self-quarantine due to potential COVID-19 exposure or suspicion they have COVID-19? 

The brand said any employee who fails to answer "no" to all the questions at the start of the shift are being sent home and instructed not to return until they are authorized to do so by a "medical professional," the company said. 

"Implementing these extra precautionary measures is another way employees can feel good about where they work, and customers can trust their favorite McDonald's menu items are being prepared by healthy crew members," Joe Erliinger, president of McDonald's USA, said in the release. 

Employees at McDonald's-owned restaurants impacted by the virus receive two weeks paid leave. The brand said a "large percentage" of workers at franchisee-owned stores will obtain emergency paid leave through the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

The company has already closed all dine-in and playground areas and instituted social distancing guidelines across operations.  

"The health and safety of our restaurant employees is a top priority for franchisees across the McDonald's system," Mark Salebra, National Franchisee Leadership Alliance chair, said in the release. "At the same time, I think restaurant employees across the country are taking great pride in serving our communities. Whether it's preparing a hot meal for a health care worker or providing a sense of comfort for families with a Happy Meal, our people have stepped up tremendously during this time."

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