buzzfeednews--2020-05-16--Harris Teeter Won't Tell Employees What Their Temperature Is During New Health Screenings

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`` They do n't give us any information on it .
They do n't tell us anything , '' he said .
`` It feels like I should be allowed to know , since you still have 10 people in a 3-foot-wide hallway trying to grab stuff and complete our picks as fast as we can . ''
At Harris Teeter 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carolina , where several workers have tested positive for COVID-19 , a night picker said he was frustrated that he was getting little to no information during his health screenings , especially when he still works in close quarters with others who are scrambling to fill a constant onslaught of orders .
Some associates , though , want to know what temperature is and have grown concerned after managers have refused to divulge the information .
If someone has a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher , they 're asked to go home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be paid for that day , a Harris Teeter spokesperson told BuzzFeed News .
Before they start their shifts , workers told BuzzFeed News they go into a private room in their store , where a manager then scans their temperature with an infrared , thermal thermometer , checks it , and tells them it 's `` good '' or `` high '' or `` low '' before sending them off .
On May 6 , Harris Teeter , headquartered in Matthews , North Carolina , started mandating temperature checks at the start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 230 stores .
Like many other retailers , the grocery store chain is now conducting thermal screenings to ensure workers are not coming in sick and making them answer other questions about their health .
Before the coronavirus , such health tests would not be allowed , but the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ( EEOC ) said that in such unprecedented circumstances , when COVID-19 poses a `` direct threat '' to the workplace , the examinations are considered `` job-related . ''
`` The biggest problem , in my eyes , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were , and having a set cap on what temperature is and is not acceptable to work with , there is a very real possibility that associates are coming in , testing with a fever of 100.2 , and being told to work , '' he said .
`` With that information , each associate could make an informed decision on their own , but that information is not being given . ''
A manager at a Virginia location shared similar concerns , explaining that it stifled an employee 's right to know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris Teeter store in the Charlotte area , two employees said having their supervisors read and then refuse to share their temperatures felt the information could be used against them .
One office assistant pointed to a hypothetical situation in which an employee had a high temperature , but `` managers would ignore it because it 's a busy day . ''
`` It was a serious red flag to me because it 's about the sovereignty of my body and , in my opinion , is a medical examination and I should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' an associate in the Charlotte area told BuzzFeed News .
`` It puts us at risk of abuse , in my opinion . ''
Ten workers across the southeast for the chain Harris Teeter told BuzzFeed News that managers refused to tell them their temperature after it was taken , even when they asked for it , making them nervous and uncomfortable with the new mandatory protocols .
The employees asked to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation .
Employees at grocery stores in the South are getting their temperatures checked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new coronavirus health screening , except they are n't allowed to know what the thermometer says , raising concerns about transparency and how their personal information could be used against them .
In some instances , workers say managers cited the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act ( HIPAA ) as a reason that they could not share the temperature reading , creating even more confusion .
Other workers said they were told it would be `` breaking the rules , '' though they said they were not told which `` rules '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be an issue , given that the screenings are done in private .
In a statement to BuzzFeed News , Harris Teeter said it is `` not aware of any law that would prohibit managers from telling associates their temperature '' and are not doing so with the intention to `` keep important information from associates . ''
`` We choose not to do so as we want to get associates through the thermal screening process as quickly as possible and into work , and because we are not medical professionals and do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Danna Robinson , a company spokesperson , said in an email .
`` Any associate with a high temperature is told that and urged to seek medical attention . ''
Despite workers ' arguments that having their temperatures checked is a medical examination , Robinson told BuzzFeed News the company does not consider the private screenings `` to be a medical examination within the meaning of the ADA . ''
`` We do not report temperatures to our associates , and we do not keep records of associate temperatures , as these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal requirements governing how medical records must be maintained , '' Robinson said .
`` This would impose additional obligations on our frontline associates . ''
However , according to the federal government and labor experts , they are .
`` Generally , measuring an employee ’ s body temperature is a medical examination , '' the EEOC said in its updated pandemic preparedness guidelines .
`` As with all medical information , the fact that an employee had a fever or other symptoms would be subject to ADA confidentiality requirements . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Employment Law Institute , also said taking workers temperatures is `` definitely '' a medical examination .
`` And if a company is saying they aren ’ t medical , they 're incorrect , '' he added .
And while the ADA does not require companies to tell employees the results of their medical exams , he called the policy `` baffling , '' adding that he had never heard of a company refusing to do so .
`` I 've never heard of an employer doing something like this , taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ willing to tell an employee their results , '' he said .
`` It is there own personal information and I am not sure why they would n't want to ? ''
Across the US , essential businesses are instituting temperature checks and health screenings in `` wildly different ways , '' Fram pointed out , yielding varied results .
For example , the Kroger Company , the largest US grocery chain , owns Harris Teeter and several other well-known supermarket retailers , like Ralph 's and Food 4 Less .
In interviews @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how the temperature checks not only varied from store to store , but also with whichever supervisor was in charge that day .
Some stores still were n't taking temperatures at all , employees said .
A Harris Teeter associate in Florida said she had not had her temperature checked once , despite an email , which BuzzFeed News obtained , that was sent to managers on May 1 highlighting the May 6 start date , as well as directives to complete some training modules .
A worker at a Smith 's Foods @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A bagger at a store in the Midwest said their process `` was super lax '' and was `` happening in the middle of the damn floral department . ''
At a Kroger in Knoxville , Tennessee , one employee said their checks were not done in private and shift leads were writing down people 's temperatures `` on a clipboard with everyone 's name printed out on it . ''
`` I was not aware there would be a log of our temps until they started taking them , '' the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t mind them writing my temp down , but it does bother me that I can ’ t see what number they are writing and that we do not initial our temp . ''
Recording temperatures and other medical information at work because of the pandemic is a murky , evolving issue that could breach employee privacy laws , depending on the state , legal experts say , and should be treated seriously .
`` That ’ s confidential medical information and can not be disclosed except in very specific circumstances , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep that log in a locked medical file .
You ca n't just have that in a file cabinet or lying around , that 's where it gets dangerous . ''
In most cases , Kroger workers told BuzzFeed News that their temperature readings were all over the place and laughably inaccurate , with some being so low that , as one recently hired worker in the midwest joked : `` You 'd be showing up every day and failing to register as alive would be a concern . ''
`` My @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 95.6 today .
My friend ’ s temp was 88 , '' another worker in Tennessee told BuzzFeed News .
`` It ’ s pretty much a joke at my store that we are considered dead on arrival because our temps are scanning so low . ''
Like many other major food-service businesses , Kroger faced criticism for its delayed efforts to protect workers during the coronavirus crisis .
About 10 employees have died nationwide , the company said , five of whom were in the Detroit metro area .
And workers are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's in Los Angeles , 21 of 158 employees have tested positive for COVID-19 , making it the largest cluster of infections at a retail store that the county 's health department has recorded so far , the Los Angeles Times reported .
Two Ralph 's workers in the LA area have also died from the virus , the United Food and Commercial Workers Union told BuzzFeed News on Friday .
In Denver , A longtime King Scooper 's employee named Randy Narvaez died after testing positive for the virus in early May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In total , there are 12 known cases of COVID-19 among the store 's 166 associates , according to the company .
Kroger has not responded to multiple requests from BuzzFeed News about the number of associates who have died across the US .

In some instances, workers say managers cited the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) as a reason that they could not share the temperature reading, creating even more confusion. Other workers said they were told it would be "breaking the rules," though they said they were not told which "rules" and why hearing their own vitals would be an issue, given that the screenings are done in private.
In a statement to BuzzFeed News, Harris Teeter said it is "not aware of any law that would prohibit managers from telling associates their temperature" and are not doing so with the intention to "keep important information from associates."
"We choose not to do so as we want to get associates through the thermal screening process as quickly as possible and into work, and because we are not medical professionals and do not want to give medical advice," Danna Robinson, a company spokesperson, said in an email. "Any associate with a high temperature is told that and urged to seek medical attention."
Despite workers' arguments that having their temperatures checked is a medical examination, Robinson told BuzzFeed News the company does not consider the private screenings "to be a medical examination within the meaning of the ADA."
"We do not report temperatures to our associates, and we do not keep records of associate temperatures, as these would be medical records and there are legal requirements governing how medical records must be maintained," Robinson said. "This would impose additional obligations on our frontline associates."
However, according to the federal government and labor experts, they are.
"Generally, measuring an employee’s body temperature is a medical examination," the EEOC said in its updated pandemic preparedness guidelines. "As with all medical information, the fact that an employee had a fever or other symptoms would be subject to ADA confidentiality requirements."
David Fram, the director of the National Employment Law Institute, also said taking workers temperatures is "definitely" a medical examination.
"And if a company is saying they aren’t medical, they're incorrect," he added.
And while the ADA does not require companies to tell employees the results of their medical exams, he called the policy "baffling," adding that he had never heard of a company refusing to do so.
"I've never heard of an employer doing something like this, taking a medical exam, and not being willing to tell an employee their results," he said. "It is there own personal information and I am not sure why they wouldn't want to?"
Across the US, essential businesses are instituting temperature checks and health screenings in "wildly different ways," Fram pointed out, yielding varied results.
For example, the Kroger Company, the largest US grocery chain, owns Harris Teeter and several other well-known supermarket retailers, like Ralph's and Food 4 Less. In interviews with BuzzFeed News, Kroger workers shared how the temperature checks not only varied from store to store, but also with whichever supervisor was in charge that day.
Some stores still weren't taking temperatures at all, employees said. A Harris Teeter associate in Florida said she had not had her temperature checked once, despite an email, which BuzzFeed News obtained, that was sent to managers on May 1 highlighting the May 6 start date, as well as directives to complete some training modules.
A worker at a Smith's Foods in Utah said their checks were sporadic. A bagger at a store in the Midwest said their process "was super lax" and was "happening in the middle of the damn floral department." At a Kroger in Knoxville, Tennessee, one employee said their checks were not done in private and shift leads were writing down people's temperatures "on a clipboard with everyone's name printed out on it."
"I was not aware there would be a log of our temps until they started taking them," the employee said. "I don’t mind them writing my temp down, but it does bother me that I can’t see what number they are writing and that we do not initial our temp."
Recording temperatures and other medical information at work because of the pandemic is a murky, evolving issue that could breach employee privacy laws, depending on the state, legal experts say, and should be treated seriously.
"That’s confidential medical information and cannot be disclosed except in very specific circumstances," Fram said. "An employer has to keep that log in a locked medical file. You can't just have that in a file cabinet or lying around, that's where it gets dangerous."
In most cases, Kroger workers told BuzzFeed News that their temperature readings were all over the place and laughably inaccurate, with some being so low that, as one recently hired worker in the midwest joked: "You'd be showing up every day and failing to register as alive would be a concern."
"My temp was 93.7 the first day and 95.6 today. My friend’s temp was 88," another worker in Tennessee told BuzzFeed News. "It’s pretty much a joke at my store that we are considered dead on arrival because our temps are scanning so low."
Like many other major food-service businesses, Kroger faced criticism for its delayed efforts to protect workers during the coronavirus crisis. About 10 employees have died nationwide, the company said, five of whom were in the Detroit metro area. And workers are still getting sick.
At a Ralph's in Los Angeles, 21 of 158 employees have tested positive for COVID-19, making it the largest cluster of infections at a retail store that the county's health department has recorded so far, the Los Angeles Times reported. Two Ralph's workers in the LA area have also died from the virus, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union told BuzzFeed News on Friday.
In Denver, A longtime King Scooper's employee named Randy Narvaez died after testing positive for the virus in early May, Kroger confirmed to CBS 4 Denver. In total, there are 12 known cases of COVID-19 among the store's 166 associates, according to the company.
Kroger has not responded to multiple requests from BuzzFeed News about the number of associates who have died across the US.


buzzfeednews--2020-05-16--A New York Man Who Traveled To Hawaii Was Arrested For Allegedly Breaking Mandatory Quarantine

Locals in Hawaii have been outraged that tourists continue visiting the state during the coronavirus pandemic .
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Tarique Peters , a 23-year-old man from New York on vacation in Hawaii , was arrested for allegedly violating the state ’ s mandatory 14-day quarantine rule as coronavirus cases across the country continue to climb .
According to a press release from the governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ island of Oahu last Monday and then allegedly used public transportation and traveled around the island to many different places on the same day he arrived .
Authorities were alerted to his behavior by residents who saw Peters posting about his trip on social media .
Instagram photos show him sunbathing by a pool and holding a surfboard on a beach , with Waikiki Beach geotagged .
The press release also says that hotel personnel told authorities they saw Peters leave his hotel room and the premises in general numerous times last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bail is set at $ 4,000 .
“ We appreciate the assistance of local people who spot flagrant violations of our emergency rules on various social media sites and report them to the appropriate authorities , ” Hawaii Attorney General Clare Connors said in a statement .
Neither Peters nor Hawaii authorities immediately responded to requests for comment Saturday .
Peters ’ Instagram account , which is public , has since been filled with comments from people criticizing his decision to vacation there during the coronavirus pandemic .
“ Been all across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respect those you visit .
Smh , ” one person wrote .
“ Unbelievable .
If you aren ’ t going to respect Hawaii and our people , don ’ t even come !
People like you give tourists a horrible reputation , ” another person wrote .
Hawaii has 638 reported cases of coronavirus to date , and the state has adopted a mandatory 14-day quarantine for all arrivals .
The governor also closed down beaches , but locals have expressed frustration that nonresidents are n't following the quarantine order .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their playground .
And in this moment , as a Native Hawaiian , this is very reflective of many historical circumstances , where people from outside of the islands have come in and caused real harm to the native population , ” Oahu resident Troy Kane told the Guardian .
“ It ’ s not always with direct intent to do so , but the impacts , especially on Hawaiian people , are very real.
” Even as the pandemic shows no signs of slowing down , tourists have continued to travel to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California couple who went to Waikiki for their honeymoon was allegedly violated the quarantine order multiple times .
The hotel they stayed at informed the authorities , who then arrested them .
`` It is important that everyone flying into Hawai ‘ i at this time , abide by our mandatory rules , '' state attorney general Clare Connors said .

Tarique Peters, a 23-year-old man from New York on vacation in Hawaii, was arrested for allegedly violating the state’s mandatory 14-day quarantine rule as coronavirus cases across the country continue to climb.
According to a press release from the governor's office, Peters arrived on the island of Oahu last Monday and then allegedly used public transportation and traveled around the island to many different places on the same day he arrived.
Authorities were alerted to his behavior by residents who saw Peters posting about his trip on social media. Instagram photos show him sunbathing by a pool and holding a surfboard on a beach, with Waikiki Beach geotagged.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-13--What If Trump Tries To Cancel The Election Because Of The Coronavirus?

`` He might well try , even though the answer is , 'No , he can not . '
'' Thousands of Americans think President Donald Trump may try to cancel the 2020 election by citing the coronavirus pandemic .
On the left and right , they envision him declaring a national emergency , using those newly invoked powers to suspend the November vote and extend his first term in the White House .
It ’ s not purely paranoia .
The pandemic has already canceled campaign rallies , postponed the primary election in Louisiana , and raised ideas to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump , for his part , has often lied about his last election to justify his political power , and most specifically , he retweeted a suggestion last year from Jerry Falwell Jr. that his first term should be extended by two years .
Major disturbances during elections , it turns out , are an age-old American problem , and so , dear reader , we are here to answer the question : Can the president cancel the election ?
Or can a viral outbreak — or some other bona fide crisis , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to postponing voting day ?
The short answer is no , a president can not defer an election unilaterally .
And even with support in much of Congress and the states , it would be extremely difficult , perhaps logistically impossible , to postpone the presidential general election .
But that doesn ’ t mean disasters can ’ t wreak havoc on democracy as usual .
Congress could try setting a new election timeline , local election boards could be unable to operate polling sites , and the president could sow doubt in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergency powers to the legal brink to disrupt the vote .
It is important that we discuss all of these scenarios right now .
There ’ s a lot we still don ’ t know about the coronavirus outbreak .
Our newsletter , Outbreak Today , will do its best to put everything we do know in one place — you can sign up here .
Do you have questions you want answered ?
You can always get in touch .
And if you 're someone who is seeing the impact of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hear from you ( you can reach out to us via one of our tip line channels ) .
What if Trump wants to postpone Election Day ?
In a viral Twitter thread last month , former assistant US attorney Glenn Kirschner , now an analyst for MSNBC , envisioned Trump delivering a national TV address in October 2020 to announce , “ I am declaring a national emergency and postponing the presidential election.
” While Trump could say that , he couldn ’ t follow through on it on his own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts agree .
Hans von Spakovsky , an election law specialist for the conservative Heritage Foundation , told BuzzFeed News in an email this week , “ The president has no power to change the date of a federal election.
” His answer jibes with Justin Levitt ’ s , who led the Justice Department ’ s Voting Section during the Obama administration .
“ The president saying we are not having an election until X date has as much authority as me saying it , which is zero , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might well try , even thought the answer is , ‘ No , he can not .
’ ” This is because only Congress sets the “ times , places and manner ” of federal elections , according to the Constitution .
While the Constitution doesn ’ t prescribe those dates , exactly , Congress did in 3 U.S. Code § 1 .
That federal law schedules presidential elections — brace for this sentence — “ on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November , in every fourth year succeeding every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” This year , that is Nov. 3 .
What if Congress wants to change the date ?
In addition to changing Election Day , Congress would need to rewrite 3 U.S. Code § 7 , which sets the timeline for electors — chosen by states — to vote in the Electoral College and install the new president .
That law says the electors “ shall meet and give their votes on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December.
” This year , it ’ s Dec. 14 .
Even if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawmakers still couldn ’ t delay Election Day by more than a couple months without rewriting the Constitution itself , which says the president can only “ hold his Office during the Term of four Years.
” The upshot : After four years , the president ’ s term — and authority — expires .
“ There ’ s no holdover , ” John Conklin , the director of public information at the New York State Board of Elections , told BuzzFeed News , about what happens if that four-year term ends without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ There ’ s no one to replace the president and vice president.
” A Congressional Research Service report in 2004 noted the 20th Amendment terminates each presidential term at noon on Jan. 20 .
As a result , the report found , “ Congress could not postpone elections indefinitely.
” Extending the president ’ s term by amending the Constitution would require two-thirds of the House and the Senate .
Speaker Nancy Pelosi , who runs the Democrat-controlled House , didn ’ t answer questions about her willingness to postpone the election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this Congress will not do that , ” Levitt said of delaying the vote due to the novel coronavirus .
“ If virus fears are bad enough in early November that you can ’ t hold an election in many places , they ’ re still going to be that bad on December 31.
” What if Trump tries to use a national emergency to delay the election ?
The president can quickly amass dozens of powers by declaring a national emergency , citing the National Emergencies Act and other laws for crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ created by the Brennan Center for Justice .
But the president only gets emergency powers domestically that are given to him by federal law , Levitt explained .
“ Those have to be locked in by statute.
” None of those emergency laws apply to changing the time we vote .
As a result , the 2004 Congressional Research Service report , “ Executive Branch Power to Postpone Elections , ” concluded : “ The Executive Branch does not appear to currently have the authority to establish or postpone the dates of elections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the event of an emergency situation.
” What if states want to change their Election Day ?
A peculiarity of US federal elections — both for Congress and the White House — is that the federal government doesn ’ t administer them .
The states do .
The president only commands federal agents ; the 10th Amendment stops the federal government from commandeering state officials .
The officers who actually run elections — secretaries of state , state and county election boards , election supervisors , the list goes on — simply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House .
The laws they follow aren ’ t primarily federal , either .
Conklin , whose office oversees New York elections , explained , “ All of the elections are codified in the state laws.
” In order to change procedures on the ground nationally , 50 states would need to be on board .
“ I think legislatures would have to act , ” Conklin said , except where certain authority is already vested governors or other officials .
Even then , he added , “ Most states would want the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to an election.
” Despite the states ’ autonomy to run the show , they can ’ t stray much from the national timeline .
They are bound to pick their presidential electors in mid-December , as required by federal law , Conklin added .
“ Most states would have to keep their election in place to send electors to vote in the Electoral College.
” This creates a sort of baked-in lethargy to any possible change ; a slew of federal and state laws , plus constitutional amendments to term limits , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to change Election Day for the president .
It would be difficult , if not impossible , to announce a change in October and enact all of that by early November .
What if a bona fide emergency threatens to upend the election ?
We have examples .
The 9/11 attackers hit New York City the morning of the state ’ s 2001 primary election , so the governor postponed voting for two weeks .
Historically , however , disruptions haven ’ t changed the date of US elections so much as turnout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late October 2012 , when Hurricane Sandy hit New York and New Jersey — two states currently facing viral breakouts — “ schools , nursing homes , and dozens of other poll sites were no longer available , ” Conklin recalled .
“ In some places , they were putting up tents in parking lots and brought in generators to run lights.
” During the coronavirus pandemic , he said , “ the problem seems to be not bringing people together in large clumps.
” That was an issue during the Spanish flu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1918 midterm elections for Congress , killing an estimated half million people in the United States , despite quarantines .
“ In Idaho , the governor mandated that all voters queue single file in their polling places to avoid the crowds that the flu liked to feed on , ” according to a 2010 study by Jason Marisam in the Election Law Journal .
In San Francisco , poll workers and voters all had to wear masks .
“ The flu likely had a significant impact on voter turnout — perhaps keeping hundreds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Election Day , ” said the study , which reported turnout down about 10 % from the previous midterms , despite newspapers urging people to vote .
“ But surprisingly , in most places the election was held with relatively few complications .
There was no national debate about the legitimacy of the election results.
” Like the Spanish flu , the coronavirus may require quarantines .
A 2006 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza : Implementation Plan , sets out “ a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in non-essential travel and , as a last resort , mandatory restrictions.
” Although the CDC ’ s pandemic plan makes no mention of what happens in the event of an election , the federal government ’ s powers to quarantine domestically and punish violators are restricted : Federal officials can only block domestic travel between states , a power created by the Constitution ’ s Commerce Clause .
A CDC quarantine can ’ t keep Americans in their homes on its own .
However , states could establish more stringent rules for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reach the polls .
“ I have a hard time seeing anything other than a mass disaster being a reason to delay an election , ” von Spakovsky of the Heritage Foundation said , dismissing the coronavirus as a reason to stall .
“ The outbreak of a disease with an extremely low fatality rate does not even come close.
” What if Trump tries to discourage voting , even if he can ’ t stop it ?
The Atlantic last year described a hypothetical situation where Trump abuses his power to win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alert system , he would send a text message to every cellphone about the “ risk of violence at polling stations , ” saying “ troops will be deployed as necessary ” to keep order .
Scared Democrats would stay home and , voila , Trump would win .
“ He could claim authority he does not have , which would not be the first time , ” Levitt said .
An analysis by the Washington Post last year found judges had ruled against the administration 63 times , often for violating the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Constitution , including on issues of immigration , the census , and law enforcement .
Trump has a predilection for lying about elections .
The White House voter fraud commission was created after Trump claimed 3 to 5 million people voted illegally , but the board shut down after being sued for records by one of its own Democratic members .
Those records , the member said after getting the documents , showed Trump ’ s voting fraud claims were “ false.
” At least two laws could stop efforts to deploy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intimidate voters .
The Posse Comitatus Act , as described in a 2018 report to Congress , “ outlaws the willful use of any part of the Army or Air Force to execute the law unless expressly authorized by the Constitution or an act of Congress.
” Likewise , the Antideficiency Act prevents federal workers from using their resources beyond the purpose of their funding appropriations — so FBI agents can ’ t be stationed outside polling places for the purpose of scaring away voters .
Levitt warned , however , those laws @ @ @ @ @ @ @ troops in ways that are “ right up to the border of what is legal.
” Trump may not have the backing of the military to push those limits , he said .
“ That doesn ’ t mean you won ’ t read about it on Twitter.
” What if we try to protect the vote now ?
States ’ legislatures can expand the right to vote by mail — getting people out of crowded polling places and , according to research , increasing voter participation .
Dale Ho , a voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the New York Times , “ In the 2018 midterms , for example , states that permit voting by mail had , on average , a 15.5 percentage point higher turnout than states that did not.
” A handful of states have switched to this system entirely , including Colorado , Hawaii , Oregon , and Washington .
States can also expand the right to vote absentee for any reason ( known as no-fault absentee voting ) .
The House last year passed H.R.1 , a bill to expand voting access — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensure ballots cast by mail are counted .
The Republican-controlled Senate hasn ’ t touched it .
●

What if a bona fide emergency threatens to upend the election?
We have examples. The 9/11 attackers hit New York City the morning of the state’s 2001 primary election, so the governor postponed voting for two weeks.
Historically, however, disruptions haven’t changed the date of US elections so much as turnout and practices at the polls.
In late October 2012, when Hurricane Sandy hit New York and New Jersey — two states currently facing viral breakouts — “schools, nursing homes, and dozens of other poll sites were no longer available,” Conklin recalled. “In some places, they were putting up tents in parking lots and brought in generators to run lights.”
During the coronavirus pandemic, he said, “the problem seems to be not bringing people together in large clumps.”
That was an issue during the Spanish flu, which engulfed the country amid the 1918 midterm elections for Congress, killing an estimated half million people in the United States, despite quarantines.
“In Idaho, the governor mandated that all voters queue single file in their polling places to avoid the crowds that the flu liked to feed on,” according to a 2010 study by Jason Marisam in the Election Law Journal. In San Francisco, poll workers and voters all had to wear masks.
“The flu likely had a significant impact on voter turnout — perhaps keeping hundreds of thousands away from the polls on Election Day,” said the study, which reported turnout down about 10% from the previous midterms, despite newspapers urging people to vote. “But surprisingly, in most places the election was held with relatively few complications. There was no national debate about the legitimacy of the election results.”
Like the Spanish flu, the coronavirus may require quarantines. A 2006 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza: Implementation Plan, sets out “a range of options, such as reductions in non-essential travel and, as a last resort, mandatory restrictions.”
Although the CDC’s pandemic plan makes no mention of what happens in the event of an election, the federal government’s powers to quarantine domestically and punish violators are restricted: Federal officials can only block domestic travel between states, a power created by the Constitution’s Commerce Clause. A CDC quarantine can’t keep Americans in their homes on its own. However, states could establish more stringent rules for travel, potentially impeding voters trying to reach the polls.
“I have a hard time seeing anything other than a mass disaster being a reason to delay an election,” von Spakovsky of the Heritage Foundation said, dismissing the coronavirus as a reason to stall. “The outbreak of a disease with an extremely low fatality rate does not even come close.”


buzzfeednews--2020-04-05--Queen Elizabeth Has Called For "Self-Discipline And Resolve" To Defeat The Coronavirus

`` I hope in the years to come everyone will be able to take pride in how they responded to this challenge . ''
Queen Elizabeth used a rare televised message on Sunday evening to urge the British people to show “ self-discipline and resolve ” as she vowed that “ we will succeed ” in the fight against the coronavirus , In her special address — only the fifth in her 68-year reign — the Queen thanked the staff of the National Health Service and other key workers , as well as people who have been staying at home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ am speaking to you at what I know is an increasingly challenging time , ” she said in the address , which was recorded in the White Drawing Room of Windsor Castle , where the Queen is self-isolating with her husband Prince Philip .
`` A time of disruption in the life of our country : a disruption that has brought grief to some , financial difficulties to many , and enormous changes to the daily lives of us all . ''
The Queen continued : `` I hope in the years to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pride in how they responded to this challenge .
Those who come after us will say that the Britons of this generation were as strong as any .
`` That the attributes of self-discipline , of quiet good-humoured resolve and of fellow-feeling still characterise this country . ''
The Queen praised the support given to emergency service workers , and said the symbol of this will be the rainbows drawn by children and put in windows across the UK in recent weeks .
`` Though self-isolating may at times be hard , many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ none , are discovering that it presents an opportunity to slow down , pause and reflect , in prayer or meditation , '' the Queen said .
She also recalled the first broadcast she ever did , aged 14 in 1940 , alongside her younger sister Margaret .
“ We , as children , spoke from here at Windsor to children who had been evacuated from their homes and sent away for their own safety ” she said , over a black and white shot of the young princesses delivering the broadcast .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ will feel a painful sense of separation from their loved ones .
But now , as then , we know , deep down , that it is the right thing to do . ''
The royal message , which was carried on all major TV channels and radio , was filmed by a single cameraman wearing protective equipment , with all the other technical staff in another room , according to the BBC .
`` While we have faced challenges before , this one is different , '' the Queen said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the globe in a common endeavour , using the great advances of science and our instinctive compassion to heal .
We will succeed — and that success will belong to every one of us . ''
The UK ’ s death toll rose by 621 to 4,934 according to the latest figures released by the government on Sunday .
Restrictions that came into force on March 23 require people to stay at home for all but essential reasons , such as shopping for food or medicine , or going to work in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But sunnier weather in London and other places at the weekend saw many people outside in parks , including some sunbathing and gathering in groups , despite government ministers and public health officials pleading with them not to .
The UK health secretary Matt Hancock sharply criticised this behaviour and warned that the government would impose even tougher restrictions such as a ban on outdoor exercise if people continued to ignore the lockdown rules .
The authorities hope that Sunday ’ s royal address will help persuade people to stay at home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Queen records an annual Christmas Day message , but speeches at other key moments are very rare — there have been just four prior to Sunday ’ s .
The most recent was in 2012 on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee when she celebrated 60 years on the throne .
In 2002 she addressed the nation on the eve of her mother ’ s funeral , in 1997 before Princess Diana ’ s funeral , and in 1991 at the beginning of the Gulf War .
The Queen finished her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take comfort that while we may have more still to endure , better days will return : we will be with our friends again ; we will be with our families again ; we will meet again . ''
This the full transcript of the Queen 's address ...
I am speaking to you at what I know is an increasingly challenging time .
A time of disruption in the life of our country : a disruption that has brought grief to some , financial difficulties to many , and enormous changes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I want to thank everyone on the NHS front line , as well as care workers and those carrying out essential roles , who selflessly continue their day-to-day duties outside the home in support of us all .
I am sure the nation will join me in assuring you that what you do is appreciated and every hour of your hard work brings us closer to a return to more normal times .
I also want to thank those of you who are staying at home , thereby helping to protect the vulnerable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ felt by those who have lost loved ones .
Together we are tackling this disease , and I want to reassure you that if we remain united and resolute , then we will overcome it .
I hope in the years to come everyone will be able to take pride in how they responded to this challenge .
And those who come after us will say the Britons of this generation were as strong as any .
That the attributes of self-discipline , of quiet good-humoured resolve and of fellow-feeling still characterise this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are is not a part of our past , it defines our present and our future .
The moments when the United Kingdom has come together to applaud its care and essential workers will be remembered as an expression of our national spirit ; and its symbol will be the rainbows drawn by children .
Across the Commonwealth and around the world , we have seen heart-warming stories of people coming together to help others , be it through delivering food parcels and medicines , checking on neighbours , or converting businesses to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ self-isolating may at times be hard , many people of all faiths , and of none , are discovering that it presents an opportunity to slow down , pause and reflect , in prayer or meditation .
It reminds me of the very first broadcast I made , in 1940 , helped by my sister .
We , as children , spoke from here at Windsor to children who had been evacuated from their homes and sent away for their own safety .
Today , once again , many will feel a painful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But now , as then , we know , deep down , that it is the right thing to do .
While we have faced challenges before , this one is different .
This time we join with all nations across the globe in a common endeavour , using the great advances of science and our instinctive compassion to heal .
We will succeed - and that success will belong to every one of us .
We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure , better days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our friends again ; we will be with our families again ; we will meet again .
But for now , I send my thanks and warmest good wishes to you all .

The Queen records an annual Christmas Day message, but speeches at other key moments are very rare — there have been just four prior to Sunday’s.
The most recent was in 2012 on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee when she celebrated 60 years on the throne.
In 2002 she addressed the nation on the eve of her mother’s funeral, in 1997 before Princess Diana’s funeral, and in 1991 at the beginning of the Gulf War.
The Queen finished her address by saying: "We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again."
This the full transcript of the Queen's address...
I am speaking to you at what I know is an increasingly challenging time. A time of disruption in the life of our country: a disruption that has brought grief to some, financial difficulties to many, and enormous changes to the daily lives of us all.
I want to thank everyone on the NHS front line, as well as care workers and those carrying out essential roles, who selflessly continue their day-to-day duties outside the home in support of us all. I am sure the nation will join me in assuring you that what you do is appreciated and every hour of your hard work brings us closer to a return to more normal times.
I also want to thank those of you who are staying at home, thereby helping to protect the vulnerable and sparing many families the pain already felt by those who have lost loved ones. Together we are tackling this disease, and I want to reassure you that if we remain united and resolute, then we will overcome it.
I hope in the years to come everyone will be able to take pride in how they responded to this challenge. And those who come after us will say the Britons of this generation were as strong as any. That the attributes of self-discipline, of quiet good-humoured resolve and of fellow-feeling still characterise this country. The pride in who we are is not a part of our past, it defines our present and our future.
The moments when the United Kingdom has come together to applaud its care and essential workers will be remembered as an expression of our national spirit; and its symbol will be the rainbows drawn by children.
Across the Commonwealth and around the world, we have seen heart-warming stories of people coming together to help others, be it through delivering food parcels and medicines, checking on neighbours, or converting businesses to help the relief effort.
And though self-isolating may at times be hard, many people of all faiths, and of none, are discovering that it presents an opportunity to slow down, pause and reflect, in prayer or meditation.
It reminds me of the very first broadcast I made, in 1940, helped by my sister. We, as children, spoke from here at Windsor to children who had been evacuated from their homes and sent away for their own safety. Today, once again, many will feel a painful sense of separation from their loved ones. But now, as then, we know, deep down, that it is the right thing to do.
While we have faced challenges before, this one is different. This time we join with all nations across the globe in a common endeavour, using the great advances of science and our instinctive compassion to heal. We will succeed - and that success will belong to every one of us.
We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again.
But for now, I send my thanks and warmest good wishes to you all.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-05--The Coronavirus Is Forcing Religious Communities Apart. Can Technology Hold Them Together?

As religious leaders turn to virtual tools to hold their congregations together , they face a common challenge : how to build community without physical connection .
In South Carolina , a Baptist pastor wonders how to solicit donations during a Facebook Live stream of his Sunday service without alienating his viewers .
In Connecticut , a rabbi fields perturbed emails about worshippers with bad singing voices belting out prayers in the Shabbat Zoom room .
In San Francisco , an Episcopalian rector encourages his congregants to leave thoughts on Scripture in the chat window of his virtual liturgy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether or not he can read social signals well enough through a screen to give good spiritual counseling .
And in Brooklyn , a Catholic priest takes confession across the room from a parishioner , at a distance safer than the booth that has fallen , like his pews , into disuse .
Around the nation , houses of worship have largely ( though not wholly ) closed their doors , afraid of spreading the deadly coronavirus .
Yet in the middle of the crises , religiosity skyrockets — and this one is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the University of Copenhagen found that for every 80,000 new cases of COVID-19 found in a country , online searches for prayer doubled .
To address this wrenching irony , faith leaders across the United States have turned to virtual tools , through which they stream services , homilies , and text studies and offer individual counseling .
This distanced worship has allowed clergy to maintain a semblance of community during a despairing and isolated time .
But distance has also left religious leaders with an impossible circle to square .
So many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on physical presence , and technology can ’ t replace all of them .
Houses of worship have for years offered online versions of their services , often to reach homebound congregants .
But the elimination of physical gatherings has changed those dynamics , faith leaders said .
Jordie Gerson , rabbi at the Greenwich Reform Synagogue in Greenwich , Connecticut , had already participated in the difficult decision to cancel a March 8 carnival for the Jewish holiday of Purim .
The following weekend , after consulting with a group of physician @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from an empty sanctuary , over Zoom , the video chat app that has grown significantly during the pandemic .
“ It was surreal , ” Gerson told BuzzFeed News , “ to be looking into a congregation of empty chairs.
” But there were more participants in the Zoom services than Gerson usually sees in the crowd on a Friday night .
And that Shabbat , Gerson said , was charged .
“ The first week was one of the most moving services I ’ ve ever done .
It felt like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Gerson said .
“ Not that we ’ re ordinarily not , but it felt like there was an urgency and a gravity to our prayers that is usually not that acute.
” For Pastor Douglas Slaughter of Second Baptist Church in Aiken , South Carolina , sitting on a chair on the chapel floor and addressing a laptop screen went directly against his dynamic preaching style , developed over four decades in the ministry .
“ It was a challenge , ” Slaughter said .
“ I ’ m a very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around , to talk to people.
” These early , empty-house digital services each led to that hallmark of streaming video : comments from crotchety users .
“ I got so many emails saying so-and-so didn ’ t mute themselves [ on Zoom ] , ” Gerson said .
“ ‘ ‘ I could hear Moshe Feinstein singing the oseh shalom [ the Jewish prayer for peace ] and he has a terrible voice.
’ A few people I kept muting , and they kept unmuting themselves.
” After Slaughter delivered a sermon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faith , not fear , ” one older viewer offered an even blunter appraisal .
“ ‘ Rev , you look fat , ’ ” Slaughter recalled the congregant saying .
But not all of the feedback about digital worship has been negative — and some of it has been unexpectedly moving .
Rector Paul Fromberg , of St. Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church in San Francisco , had wondered how he could virtually re-create his Sunday service , in which he encourages congregants to share their personal experiences .
“ When we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , people were putting lots of comments in the chat , ” Fromberg said .
“ So I ’ d ask people to share words and phrases that stood out in the Scripture readings .
… It was beautiful .
People were attending to their own experience .
We ’ re all looking for the blessing to come out of this time .
Maybe people will get better about how they use their words in a public space like Facebook.
” Still , clergy fear that virtual worship can not capture other , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mohamed Magid of the ADAMS Center in Sterling , Virginia , uses Zoom and Facebook Live to give sermons and lead religious education remotely .
But these virtual platforms don ’ t allow for the kind of informal communication Magid said is crucial to his work .
“ Someone will walk up to me after Friday prayer and whisper in my ear that someone is sick in their family , or going through domestic violence , ” Magid told BuzzFeed News .
“ Where is that whispering , that private talk ?
Online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but not individual accessibility to share intimate ideas and information.
” And while virtual worship expands the potential reach of religious observance , it can leave some people behind .
The ADAMS Center is one of the largest mosques in the United States , with branches and satellite locations that serve 5,000 families .
Among those families are groups of people for whom Magid said virtual religious community simply isn ’ t sufficient .
“ We have older members of the community , people whose English is not very fluent , who don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them with technology , ” Magid said .
“ I ’ m worried about those people .
You have to remember some of these elderly people are refugees .
They take joy in physical gatherings .
They feel the love .
That kind of thing is missing big-time .
I don ’ t think technology can replace that.
” Rabbi Gerson said that she ’ s conducting even the most intimate clerical work remotely .
“ I ’ m doing deathbed visits with people over FaceTime , ” Gerson said .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hold a dying person ’ s hand .
I ’ m worried about people dying alone.
” Nor can virtual forms of gathering replace the broader community functions of many churches , synagogues , mosques , Hindu temples , and Sikh gurdwaras .
Second Baptist Church runs a teen homework center , affordable and senior housing programs , and a pre-K–12 private school , all of which are made possible through the donations of its congregants .
Pastor Slaughter , who is also helping to manage a $ 3 million building project for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial pressure that moving to exclusively virtual worship put on his congregation .
“ We saw anywhere from a 50 to 60 percent drop in the first week , ” Slaughter said .
“ If you extrapolate that out for two months , we would barely be able to pay our staff , much less build this new building.
” The church is now trying out a text-to-donate service for older worshippers , who may not have the technological skill to give through the apps Second Baptist already uses .
But even as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the move to virtual worship has made him wonder if solicitations over Facebook Live play differently than in person .
“ My ministry now is this nebulous online church , ” said Slaughter .
“ I ’ m very aware of that .
There are several struggles .
You don ’ t want people to think that you ’ re doing this for the money , particularly people who are not part of the congregation .
So I have to try to find unobtrusive ways of , really , begging for money.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ second month , the three major Abrahamic religions are celebrating their spring holiday , and each presents challenges for virtual worship .
On March 25 , President Donald Trump suggested the US could relax its social distancing guidelines by Easter ( he has since backtracked ) .
Pope Francis ’ s Holy Week liturgies will be livestreamed to Catholics throughout the world .
Last month , he prayed to an empty St. Peter ’ s Square .
Christian authorities “ across the board ” have ruled that Holy Communion can ’ t be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In its place , Fromberg has encouraged his congregants to bless bread and wine at home , in the style of the Jewish Sabbath prayers .
And in his livestreamed Sunday mass , Monsignor David Cassato , of St. Athanasius Church in Brooklyn , addresses the problem directly .
“ I put the Blessed Sacrament out on the altar for 5–10 minutes , ” said Cassato .
“ I ask people to quiet themselves and realize that Jesus is here with you and to pray to him spiritually .
You may not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can pray to him spiritually.
” The Diocese of Brooklyn , under which Cassato serves , has practice in reaching remote worshippers .
Its television network , NET TV , broadcasts mass in seven languages .
Still , Cassato said , there ’ s no substitute for the real thing .
“ I just pray that we can go back to church soon , ” Cassato said .
“ People want to be close to God now .
”

In South Carolina, a Baptist pastor wonders how to solicit donations during a Facebook Live stream of his Sunday service without alienating his viewers.
In Connecticut, a rabbi fields perturbed emails about worshippers with bad singing voices belting out prayers in the Shabbat Zoom room.
In San Francisco, an Episcopalian rector encourages his congregants to leave thoughts on Scripture in the chat window of his virtual liturgy.
In Northern Virginia, an imam questions whether or not he can read social signals well enough through a screen to give good spiritual counseling.
And in Brooklyn, a Catholic priest takes confession across the room from a parishioner, at a distance safer than the booth that has fallen, like his pews, into disuse.
Around the nation, houses of worship have largely (though not wholly) closed their doors, afraid of spreading the deadly coronavirus. Yet in the middle of the crises, religiosity skyrockets — and this one is no exception. A recent study from the University of Copenhagen found that for every 80,000 new cases of COVID-19 found in a country, online searches for prayer doubled. To address this wrenching irony, faith leaders across the United States have turned to virtual tools, through which they stream services, homilies, and text studies and offer individual counseling.
This distanced worship has allowed clergy to maintain a semblance of community during a despairing and isolated time. But distance has also left religious leaders with an impossible circle to square. So many aspects of religious practice and community depend on physical presence, and technology can’t replace all of them.
Houses of worship have for years offered online versions of their services, often to reach homebound congregants. But the elimination of physical gatherings has changed those dynamics, faith leaders said.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-25--The Coronavirus Is Continuing To Spread Through Amazon's Facilities

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
The Amazon spokesperson said the infected employee most recently reported to work on March 19 , and that the company is taking measures to reduce the risk of infection at the facility .
The company didn ’ t respond to questions about why it ’ s keeping sites where employees have been infected open .
“ We are supporting the individual who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told BuzzFeed News .
“ We are following guidelines from local officials and are taking extreme measures to ensure the safety of employees at our site.
” At least one employee at an Amazon fulfillment center in Edison , New Jersey has tested positive for COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus , two workers told BuzzFeed News .
Employees at that location were notified of the infection on Wednesday , but the facility remains operational .
Coronavirus In The Workplace : BuzzFeed News looks at how companies and employees are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amazon employees around the world have signed a petition demanding better protections during the pandemic , including that “ [ i ] n the event a coworker tests positive for coronavirus , the facility must be shut down and workers given paid leave at their normal pay rate while the facility is thoroughly sterilized and workers are tested for the virus.
” Other Amazon facilities with confirmed cases are in Kentucky , Staten Island , Queens , Connecticut , Florida , Texas , Michigan , Oklahoma , and California .
Employees at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ informed them that an employee had tested positive , effectively temporarily shutting down that facility .
Do you have questions you want answered ?
You can always get in touch .
And if you 're someone who is seeing the impact of this firsthand , we ’ d also love to hear from you ( you can reach out to us via one of our tip line channels ) .
An employee at the Edison fulfillment center said workers were being encouraged to stand apart from one another to comply with social distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sanitizer and no masks .
Previously , Amazon employees told BuzzFeed News they were n't being given enough time to wash their hands and that cleaning of their facilities has been minimal .
An Amazon employee in Florida who requested anonymity to protect their employment said conditions in his workplace have not improved .
“ Sanitation on the premises has been improved by hiring an extra person , before [ there ] was only one , ” he said .
“ Thick layers of dust and dirt are everywhere , on the floors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bags we use to make deliveries , causing regular allergies to all employees , so coughing and sneezing is standard for everybody .
”

Over 1,800 Amazon employees around the world have signed a petition demanding better protections during the pandemic, including that “[i]n the event a coworker tests positive for coronavirus, the facility must be shut down and workers given paid leave at their normal pay rate while the facility is thoroughly sterilized and workers are tested for the virus.”
Other Amazon facilities with confirmed cases are in Kentucky, Staten Island, Queens, Connecticut, Florida, Texas, Michigan, Oklahoma, and California.
Employees at the Queens facility refused to work after Amazon informed them that an employee had tested positive, effectively temporarily shutting down that facility.
Do you have questions you want answered? You can always get in touch. And if you're someone who is seeing the impact of this firsthand, we’d also love to hear from you (you can reach out to us via one of our tip line channels).
An employee at the Edison fulfillment center said workers were being encouraged to stand apart from one another to comply with social distancing, but that there was limited hand sanitizer and no masks.
Previously, Amazon employees told BuzzFeed News they weren't being given enough time to wash their hands and that cleaning of their facilities has been minimal.
An Amazon employee in Florida who requested anonymity to protect their employment said conditions in his workplace have not improved.
“Sanitation on the premises has been improved by hiring an extra person, before [there] was only one,” he said. “Thick layers of dust and dirt are everywhere, on the floors, the racks and shelves and all the bags we use to make deliveries, causing regular allergies to all employees, so coughing and sneezing is standard for everybody.”


buzzfeednews--2020-03-26--Starbucks Employees Got Sick. Starbucks Stores Stayed Open.

Inside a week of fear , confusion , and coughing at branches around the country before the coffee giant took decisive action .
All week long , Starbucks employees got sick , and Starbucks stores stayed open .
On Saturday , March 14 , a Starbucks employee in northern Washington developed a fever and dry cough and had trouble breathing .
After a night of cleaning by staff , the store opened back up for business as usual .
On Monday , March 16 , an assistant store manager in Georgia kept working despite a fever and a sore throat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was showing coronavirus symptoms .
He was told to come in anyway .
That same day , an employee in Maine who told his manager he wasn ’ t feeling well was instructed to keep working because he “ couldn ’ t be thinking every sniffle was corona , or else we would have to think everyone might have it , ” he recalled .
On Thursday , March 19 , a Starbucks employee in western Washington told her manager that a doctor said she probably had COVID-19 , the disease caused by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open .
That same day , an employee in eastern Pennsylvania with a bad cough and no paid sick leave poured coffee and mixed drinks behind the counter as a dozen or so customers waited for their orders .
And by Friday , March 20 , three employees at a Starbucks in Oregon had come down with flulike symptoms and called in sick .
One said she first felt under the weather a day after “ not one but two customers coughed on me , ” she told BuzzFeed News , requesting her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of getting fired .
“ I went to the ER because I felt like literal death .
I was given the diagnosis of ‘ mild respiratory infection ’ just by looking at me .
I had a fever of 104 degrees , trouble breathing , and a severe sore throat.
” None of her coworkers were tested , and neither was she .
Her store remained open .
As the coronavirus pandemic mushroomed into a full-blown crisis , and health officials pleaded with Americans to stay away from each other to slow its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s largest employers let crucial time slip away before it took decisive action .
Muddled sick pay rules left many workers to choose between coming to work sick and going without pay .
Decisions with major public health implications fell into the hands of local branch managers .
Meanwhile , employees kept falling ill , and customers kept showing up in droves , including some who seemed sick .
On Saturday , Starbucks moved to limit sales at most locations to drive-thrus only , and to offer 30 days paid “ catastrophe ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then , an untold number of employees and customers might already have been exposed .
An ongoing BuzzFeed News investigation , based on internal communications at more than a dozen companies and interviews with hundreds of service workers , has found that many major retailers have kept stores open without clear plans for how to operate during the pandemic , forcing anxious hourly employees to work with insufficient safety protocols and minimal guidance .
Are you a retail employee still working during the coronavirus outbreak ?
We 'd love to hear your story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Few employers have left more staffers on the front lines than Starbucks ; interviews with more than 70 of them reveal an atmosphere of chaos , fear , and confusion at branches around the country .
Fourteen Starbucks employees in eight states told BuzzFeed News that they recalled serving customers who were coughing , some within a few feet of them .
Sixteen Starbucks employees in 10 states said they were unable to get enough paid sick leave for a two-week self-quarantine , even if they exhibited symptoms similar to a COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ symptoms .
Many Starbucks employees who spoke with BuzzFeed News said that , like other Americans , they were unable to get tested for the coronavirus , meaning they can ’ t know for sure whether they were infected .
But their experiences show how the decisions of a company that employs 220,000 people in the US have had far-reaching consequences in the midst of a virus accelerating faster than most public health systems can keep up with .
A Starbucks spokesperson told BuzzFeed News the company made the best of an unprecedented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re learning as we go , ” the spokesperson said .
“ Information on this virus is coming in every single day .
We 're constantly listening to our partners , and once we were able to understand some of the feedback and some of the challenges they faced , we took actions.
” The company follows guidelines set by the CDC and local health officials , the spokesperson said .
“ In the instances we believe someone or a partner has been exposed , we close the store for a deep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was unable to provide specific examples or an estimate of how many stores have been deep-cleaned .
The employees who spoke with BuzzFeed News said that any cleaning was done by staff members using the store ’ s standard disinfectant sprays and wipes .
Starbucks declined to comment on specific incidents in this story without knowing more details about their locations , which BuzzFeed News declined to provide in order to protect sources , nearly all of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisal .
Starbucks is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world ; it has gained a reputation for granting its workers higher pay and better benefits than what 's offered by most of its industry competitors .
Employees are called “ partners ” because they are given shares of the company when hired .
They receive tuition assistance for college and can apply for hardship grants in times of financial strain .
The company stands at the forefront of an industry that employs a vast share of the country ’ s millions of hourly and minimum-wage service workers , many of whom were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than a week of paid sick leave .
During the pandemic , many have had to balance the thought of a missed paycheck against the thought of infecting a family member .
Some companies , including Apple and Nike , moved quickly , closing all locations by March 15 and shifting all sales to delivery .
Others , such as Ikea , Nordstrom , Gap , Spencer Gifts , and Zumiez , shut down their stores by the end of last week , heeding the calls of concerned employees .
The stores that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deem themselves “ essential ” — grocery stores that feed , pharmacies that treat , shipping operations that deliver supplies to doorsteps , as well as a host of retailers serving the needs of newly homebound consumers : electronics from Best Buy ; video games from GameStop ; crafts from Michaels ; home office supplies from Office Depot and Staples ; home renovation supplies from Home Depot , Lowe ’ s , and Sherwin-Williams ; clothes from Dillard ’ s ; books from Barnes & Noble ; and fabrics from Jo-Ann Stores .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the last few days will protect its workforce .
At nearly all branches , the café lobbies are now closed , with orders served at drive-thru windows instead of inside .
The company ’ s new expanded catastrophe pay covers anyone who feels unsafe for any reason for up to 30 days .
Until April 19 , those still willing to work shifts will be paid $ 3 more than their normal hourly wage .
Many employees who spoke with BuzzFeed News said they supported the new measures but questioned why , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now , they couldn ’ t have implemented them earlier .
“ To be entirely honest it felt too little , too late and like a backtrack from the public backlash they were starting to get , ” said the employee from northern Washington .
Though the pandemic had yet to spur widespread action in the US , Starbucks had dealt with the crisis in China , the company ’ s fastest-growing market .
In a March 5 press release , it boasted that in late January it had been “ among the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retail stores.
” Starbucks ’ s top executive in China explained the move : “ We had to quickly decide how we were going to lead.
” That first week of March , as a Seattle employee tested positive for the virus and confirmed cases in the US reached 400 , Starbucks started to take action in the US , banning reusable cups and instructing corporate management to do their jobs remotely .
On the morning of Monday , March 9 , as confirmed cases in the US neared 1,000 , vice presidents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a series of regional conference calls with store managers around the country to issue new cleaning guidelines , according to four store managers in three states .
They mandated that baristas , rather than customers , add milk and sugar .
Employees were told to sanitize door handles , card readers , and bathrooms every hour and to wear gloves to handle cash transactions or wash their hands after each one .
An automated voice in their headsets would remind them to wash their hands every 30 minutes .
On the conference call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manager asked if they could put up signs asking people not to enter the store if they had symptoms , according to two Washington managers on the call .
But two high-level executives on the line rejected the idea , saying they didn ’ t want to single out sick people .
On March 11 , as confirmed US cases reached 1,700 , Starbucks announced it was expanding its “ catastrophe pay ” policy — a two-week paid leave reserved for “ a natural disaster or unusual event , ” according to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is “ diagnosed with or exposed to COVID-19 , ” as well as people with underlying conditions and those who had recently traveled to China , South Korea , Iran , or Italy .
It seemed like good news .
But for a dozen employees who spoke with BuzzFeed News , it quickly led to a dead end .
They said they were told that those without the required underlying conditions or travel history were only eligible if they or someone they were exposed to had been tested for COVID-19 — even though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get , ” in the words of one employee .
Without a test , an employee who had symptoms was eligible for just three days of catastrophe pay .
The company distributed a flowchart to employees , which instructs those who are ill but can ’ t get tested “ Do Not Go to Work ” until they are free from symptoms for 24 hours .
“ If additional time is needed ” beyond the three days of catastrophe pay , the chart encourages employees to use regular sick days .
But dozens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had less than a week ’ s worth of paid sick leave available , if any ; and people who have worked for the company for less than a year generally have no vacation time to use .
An employee who had recently returned from a cruise to the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic said she was rejected for paid leave because those countries weren ’ t on the list of “ level three ” hot spots — so she continued to go to work .
Another employee who said she was immunocompromised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t able to schedule an appointment with a doctor .
She , too , continued to go to work .
Two other employees said they were unable to qualify even though close relatives they live with showed symptoms .
Both chose to self-isolate without pay .
When an employee in Canada informed his manager he ’ d been exposed to someone who ’ d been ordered to quarantine , the manager sent him home for the day and ordered the entire store cleaned with bleach and disinfectant wipes .
Three hours later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called to tell him he should return to work for his next shift .
He called the human resources hotline , which was backlogged with a wait time that he estimated lasted two hours , only to be rejected for paid leave for lack of a test .
Others didn ’ t even bother to try .
An employee in Texas who has cystic fibrosis decided not to immediately apply for catastrophe pay because his doctor told him the pandemic would likely continue to spread over the next few weeks , he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave days “ in case the situation got worse.
” On Sunday , March 15 , as confirmed US cases surpassed 4,600 , Starbucks informed store employees that the company was closing its seating areas and serving only to-go and drive-thru orders .
For many branches , the only visible changes were the chairs stacked upside down on tables behind the line of customers snaking to the door to pick up orders .
An employee in Chicago said his branch served more than 50 people an hour during peak commute times that week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ store still served “ 90 % ” of its usual customers .
“ Our lobby was still full , ” an employee in Oklahoma told BuzzFeed News that week .
“ We have 30 to 40 people in the store at one time , and we were being laughed at or berated for our precautions.
” Asked why Starbucks didn ’ t close its cafés earlier , the company spokesperson said the number of customers showing up caught the company off guard .
“ That we would have a group of people coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spokesperson said .
At a branch in a suburb in southern Washington state , regular customers arrived at their usual times on the morning of March 15 .
Among them was a caregiver at a retirement community down the street .
She came in so often that she “ formed a bond ” with familiar faces behind the counter , said a manager at the branch .
Some miles north , at a retirement home in Kirkland , 29 people and counting had died from COVID-19 .
In Seattle , where Starbucks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had tested positive .
But when the store manager clocked in that morning , his southern Washington suburb still had zero known cases .
Store hours were unchanged , and no signs indicated any new safety protocols .
About half a dozen employees behind the counter poured coffee , stirred drinks , and served pastries while about five customers stood in line and about five more awaited orders .
The caregiver arrived in the early afternoon , chatting with baristas as she handed her credit card to the cashier , standing a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caregiver said , three patients in her nursing home had tested positive for the coronavirus , the first confirmed cases in the county .
She continued to drop in every day for the rest of the week , the manager said .
On Monday , March 16 , as confirmed cases in the US hit 6,400 , a 33-year-old Starbucks employee in Arizona who lived with both of her elderly parents asked her manager if she could wear a mask to work .
During the conversation , “ my manager looked at me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had corona , ’ ” the employee said ; the manager recalled feeling sick during the first week of March but kept coming in to work .
Across the country , tens of thousands of people had been laid off , and the Arizona employee felt fortunate to still earn income at a company that also paid for college classes she had enrolled in .
But she only had 22 hours of combined vacation and sick time available , she said , and her manager told her she didn ’ t qualify for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ no choice but to continue working.
” Employees in three other states described a similar predicament , living with high-risk relatives while dependent on Starbucks paychecks to make ends meet .
“ I either go to work and risk infecting my vulnerable father or I stay home and isolate and receive no pay , ” an employee in Massachusetts told BuzzFeed News on Wednesday , March 18 , as the number of confirmed US cases reached 13,700 .
“ I have no symptoms , but a coworker reported feeling ill on Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Arizona branch handled the drive-thru , which had longer lines than usual .
“ People would cough in their hands and hand me money or cough in my face , ” she said .
“ That freaks me out.
” She wore gloves but didn ’ t have time to change them after every transaction because the customers lined up faster than they could make drinks .
Behind her in the café — where chairs were stacked , tables were moved to the side , and posted signs noted that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would just be in our lobby standing and holding impromptu meetings , ” she said , some for as long as 20 minutes after they ’ d gotten their orders .
At the start of the week of March 16 , her branch had just a single bottle of hand sanitizer left , stored on the manager ’ s desk in the back room .
She and her coworkers didn ’ t know when the next shipment of cleaning supplies would come .
Dozens of Starbucks employees around the country described similar experiences @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News on March 18 that his branch “ has yet to receive any of the hand sanitizer that was meant to arrive over a week ago.
” At a Starbucks kiosk in a Kroger supermarket in Kentucky , “ the store has been out of hand sanitizer for about a week , ” an employee said on March 21 , and workers were using dish soap to wipe down counters .
Others recalled customers who “ do n't stand more than a few feet apart , ” “ lick their fingers before handing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into a coughing fit all over my barista on register , ” and are generally “ acting as if the virus doesn ’ t exist.
” Many Starbucks employees expressed guilt at the company ’ s role in contributing to the pandemic ’ s spread by promoting “ a feeling of normalcy , ” as a Georgia employee put it .
Employees in six states worried that many of their in-store customers were elderly people who are at higher risk of severe complications from COVID-19 .
Many service workers at other retailers have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two weeks , as their employers stayed open while streets emptied , schools closed , and a substantial portion of the country ’ s population hunkered down at home working remotely .
Employees at Lowe ’ s received a memo noting that their “ Spring Black Friday ” promotion “ is not going to change .
Home Depot cancelled their Spring Black Friday so… GAME ON !
!
!
” Lowe ’ s did not respond to a request for comment .
At GameStop , which implemented curbside pickup late last week and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14 employees told BuzzFeed News that the company has failed to provide gloves and cleaning solution .
After local authorities in some cities tried to close the stores , executives provided employees with a “ letter to law enforcement ” stating that their products were essential because they “ enhance our customers ’ experience in working from home.
” The company told BuzzFeed News in a statement that it was “ taking aggressive actions , in an admittedly difficult environment , to quickly obtain additional cleaning supplies.
” Three employees at the sporting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News that the company wasn ’ t enacting any distancing protocols despite the rush of customers flocking to buy weapons — “ well , more than 50 people at any given time waiting to get a gun all in one area , ” one employee said .
Cabela ’ s did not respond to a request for comment .
Across the country , many of the hundreds of service workers who spoke with BuzzFeed News — via phone call , text , and email — said they wanted their stores to shut down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they would likely go without income — many said they had nothing but vacation and sick days to hold them over .
Last week , employees at a Guitar Center in Los Angeles staged a walkout to protest their employer ’ s decision to stay open .
In New York , where Guitar Centers were closed by state government order , employees were given four days of compensation and then had to use whatever vacation and sick time they had left before going without pay , they said .
Employees at Michaels , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said they received nothing beyond their remaining paid time off .
Guitar Center and Michaels did not respond to a request for comment .
“ I am not afraid of dying ; I just do n't want to spread it to my loved ones , ” said an employee at a Michaels that remains open .
“ My mother is over 65 , and I do n't want anything to happen to her when I come back home from work.
” When it comes to informing the public about employees diagnosed with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Though the chain announced on March 6 that a Seattle branch would close for “ a deep clean ” after an employee was diagnosed , it has not publicized any deep cleans or confirmed cases since then .
Employees at branches in New York and California reported they had coworkers who were tested last week , though they were unaware of the results , and three others recalled sanitizing their entire stores after a coworker showed symptoms .
Other companies have also been discreet .
When a stylist at Amazing Lash Studio in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the salon ’ s manager directed the receptionist to cancel that stylist 's appointments “ without telling people why she ’ s out of office , ” the receptionist said .
The salon didn ’ t close until Sunday , March 22 .
Amazing Lash Studio did not respond to a request for comment .
After an employee at a Trader Joe ’ s in Seattle tested positive , the company disclosed the news on its website for four days before removing the post because , a spokesperson explained to BuzzFeed News , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Though managers at two stores in New York informed workers last week about employees at their branches testing positive , Trader Joe ’ s didn ’ t announce the information publicly until after BuzzFeed News contacted the company about them .
At the Starbucks in northern Washington where an employee showed symptoms on March 14 , the store manager asked staffers aware of the situation “ not to tell anyone outside of who was there , ” one employee said .
“ The district manager deemed the lack of test as a green @ @ @ @ @ @ @ managers told BuzzFeed News that their bosses gave them discretion to temporarily close a store due to possible exposure but discouraged them from doing so without evidence of a test .
“ It puts an enormous responsibility on us , ” one manager said .
The Starbucks spokesperson said this would have been against the company ’ s stated policy .
“ We 've been consistent in what our approach has been : You don ’ t need a positive test to close down your store out of abundance of caution , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re not cutting any corners . ''
Store managers thinking about closing their branch have had to weight the financial impact on their employees .
At the branch in western Washington with the employee who was told by a doctor on March 19 that she probably had COVID-19 , the store manager told staff in a group text message that he has “ been wanting to hold out closing , to ensure all of our partners get paid.
” Employees at branches that have fully closed , including those in certain malls and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shifts at other branches in their area , sometimes commuting as long as an hour .
When her branch was shut down , a store manager in New York said she had trouble “ finding placements for the more than two dozen employees in my care who can ’ t afford to be out of work.
” As state and local governments issued emergency directives minimizing human contact , it often fell to Starbucks store managers to determine how to abide by them .
In a Texas city prohibiting gatherings of more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few employees to stand outside when the line got long to keep from exceeding the limit .
An employee at a California branch in a county under a shelter-in-place decree asked her manager if they should clear out the lobby or put up signs directing people to stand 6 feet apart .
The manager replied that “ it didn ’ t apply to us , ” the employee said .
Last week , Starbucks executives informed store managers that it was expanding the catastrophe pay policy to cover anyone who obtained a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ self-isolate .
The company authorized store managers to submit employee requests directly to district managers , who oversee stores in a given region , on a “ case-by-case basis , ” according to the three store managers as well as eight employees who spoke with their bosses about the policy .
The Northern California store manager said her district manager instructed her to use catastrophe pay “ as sparingly as possible.
” It was up to store managers to decide whether to inform their staff of the policy change .
BuzzFeed News viewed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff last week about the updated paid leave policies .
But five baristas said their managers never informed them .
Three said they only learned of the new standards when they asked their manager whether they might qualify for paid leave .
And another said his manager told him that “ employees are encouraged not to use ” catastrophe pay “ and that I really should refrain from it and just come to work as scheduled.
” The Starbucks spokesperson disputed that district managers would have pressured store managers to limit paid leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handled by human resources .
By Thursday , March 19 , as confirmed US cases reached 19,000 , some Starbucks employees had been approved for two-week paid leave without a test , even as many of their counterparts across the country still believed they needed a test to qualify .
When BuzzFeed News contacted Starbucks last week to inquire about the policy shift , the spokesperson claimed that the policy had never changed , that tests had never been a requirement , and all an employee ever needed was a doctor ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ From the very beginning we ’ ve been consistent about this , ” the spokesperson said .
“ For us to tell a partner that you need to have a confirmed test wouldn ’ t be reflective of who we are.
” The spokesperson referred to the “ COVID-19 Decision Logic ” flowchart distributed to the workforce .
However , the flowchart stated that access to a test was required for employees to receive catastrophe pay ; in response to this , the spokesperson said that any employee who showed symptoms should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a doctor and get some level of a diagnosis.
” The Starbucks spokesperson said that the 30-day catastrophe pay isn ’ t based on recent workweeks but was unable to say how it is calculated .
Store managers who spoke to BuzzFeed News said the company had yet to communicate the details of the policy to them .
One 21-year-old barista in Colorado said the extra $ 3-an-hour was enough to sway her to keep working .
Her boyfriend was laid off from his fast-food job last week , and her wages now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ payments , as well as her car payment , all totaling around $ 1,400 a month , not including food , gas , and any other expenses .
Her normal monthly wages added up to around $ 1,460 , she said .
With the slight bump in pay , she hopes she can keep them afloat until something turns around , though she is not sure when that might be or what exactly it will look like .
“ It ’ s a crappy situation all around , but it at least takes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have the option of getting paid even if I decide I ’ m worried about coming in , ” she said .
“ Also , I ’ m spending less on gas because I don ’ t go anywhere except to work .
I haven ’ t filled up my tank in about three weeks , and I ’ m still above half.
” She has worked retail jobs since she was 16 and supported herself financially since she was 18 .
She has around $ 5,000 in student debt to pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t yet gotten a degree from , having taken a leave of absence to pick up more shifts .
She isn ’ t sure when she ’ ll have time to return to school as long as she ’ s working full time .
For now , all she can do is clock in and hope for the best .
●

All week long, Starbucks employees got sick, and Starbucks stores stayed open.
On Saturday, March 14, a Starbucks employee in northern Washington developed a fever and dry cough and had trouble breathing. After a night of cleaning by staff, the store opened back up for business as usual.
On Monday, March 16, an assistant store manager in Georgia kept working despite a fever and a sore throat. Another employee mentioned that his wife was showing coronavirus symptoms. He was told to come in anyway.
That same day, an employee in Maine who told his manager he wasn’t feeling well was instructed to keep working because he “couldn’t be thinking every sniffle was corona, or else we would have to think everyone might have it,” he recalled.
On Thursday, March 19, a Starbucks employee in western Washington told her manager that a doctor said she probably had COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The store stayed open.
That same day, an employee in eastern Pennsylvania with a bad cough and no paid sick leave poured coffee and mixed drinks behind the counter as a dozen or so customers waited for their orders.
And by Friday, March 20, three employees at a Starbucks in Oregon had come down with flulike symptoms and called in sick. One said she first felt under the weather a day after “not one but two customers coughed on me,” she told BuzzFeed News, requesting her name and city remain anonymous for fear of getting fired. “I went to the ER because I felt like literal death. I was given the diagnosis of ‘mild respiratory infection’ just by looking at me. I had a fever of 104 degrees, trouble breathing, and a severe sore throat.” None of her coworkers were tested, and neither was she. Her store remained open.
As the coronavirus pandemic mushroomed into a full-blown crisis, and health officials pleaded with Americans to stay away from each other to slow its spread, one of the nation’s largest employers let crucial time slip away before it took decisive action. Muddled sick pay rules left many workers to choose between coming to work sick and going without pay. Decisions with major public health implications fell into the hands of local branch managers. Meanwhile, employees kept falling ill, and customers kept showing up in droves, including some who seemed sick. On Saturday, Starbucks moved to limit sales at most locations to drive-thrus only, and to offer 30 days paid “catastrophe” leave to all employees. But by then, an untold number of employees and customers might already have been exposed.
An ongoing BuzzFeed News investigation, based on internal communications at more than a dozen companies and interviews with hundreds of service workers, has found that many major retailers have kept stores open without clear plans for how to operate during the pandemic, forcing anxious hourly employees to work with insufficient safety protocols and minimal guidance.
Are you a retail employee still working during the coronavirus outbreak? We'd love to hear your story. Reach out at albert.samaha@buzzfeed.com.
Few employers have left more staffers on the front lines than Starbucks; interviews with more than 70 of them reveal an atmosphere of chaos, fear, and confusion at branches around the country. Fourteen Starbucks employees in eight states told BuzzFeed News that they recalled serving customers who were coughing, some within a few feet of them. Sixteen Starbucks employees in 10 states said they were unable to get enough paid sick leave for a two-week self-quarantine, even if they exhibited symptoms similar to a COVID-19 infection or lived with someone who showed symptoms.
Many Starbucks employees who spoke with BuzzFeed News said that, like other Americans, they were unable to get tested for the coronavirus, meaning they can’t know for sure whether they were infected. But their experiences show how the decisions of a company that employs 220,000 people in the US have had far-reaching consequences in the midst of a virus accelerating faster than most public health systems can keep up with.
A Starbucks spokesperson told BuzzFeed News the company made the best of an unprecedented and rapidly changing situation. “We’re learning as we go,” the spokesperson said. “Information on this virus is coming in every single day. We're constantly listening to our partners, and once we were able to understand some of the feedback and some of the challenges they faced, we took actions.”
The company follows guidelines set by the CDC and local health officials, the spokesperson said. “In the instances we believe someone or a partner has been exposed, we close the store for a deep clean,” he said, though he was unable to provide specific examples or an estimate of how many stores have been deep-cleaned. The employees who spoke with BuzzFeed News said that any cleaning was done by staff members using the store’s standard disinfectant sprays and wipes.
Starbucks declined to comment on specific incidents in this story without knowing more details about their locations, which BuzzFeed News declined to provide in order to protect sources, nearly all of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisal.
Starbucks is one of the wealthiest retailers in the world; it has gained a reputation for granting its workers higher pay and better benefits than what's offered by most of its industry competitors. Employees are called “partners” because they are given shares of the company when hired. They receive tuition assistance for college and can apply for hardship grants in times of financial strain.
The company stands at the forefront of an industry that employs a vast share of the country’s millions of hourly and minimum-wage service workers, many of whom were already living paycheck to paycheck with less than a week of paid sick leave. During the pandemic, many have had to balance the thought of a missed paycheck against the thought of infecting a family member.
Some companies, including Apple and Nike, moved quickly, closing all locations by March 15 and shifting all sales to delivery. Others, such as Ikea, Nordstrom, Gap, Spencer Gifts, and Zumiez, shut down their stores by the end of last week, heeding the calls of concerned employees. The stores that remain open this week are those that deem themselves “essential” — grocery stores that feed, pharmacies that treat, shipping operations that deliver supplies to doorsteps, as well as a host of retailers serving the needs of newly homebound consumers: electronics from Best Buy; video games from GameStop; crafts from Michaels; home office supplies from Office Depot and Staples; home renovation supplies from Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Sherwin-Williams; clothes from Dillard’s; books from Barnes & Noble; and fabrics from Jo-Ann Stores.
Starbucks said the actions it has taken in the last few days will protect its workforce. At nearly all branches, the café lobbies are now closed, with orders served at drive-thru windows instead of inside. The company’s new expanded catastrophe pay covers anyone who feels unsafe for any reason for up to 30 days. Until April 19, those still willing to work shifts will be paid $3 more than their normal hourly wage.
Many employees who spoke with BuzzFeed News said they supported the new measures but questioned why, if higher-ups felt the measures were necessary now, they couldn’t have implemented them earlier. “To be entirely honest it felt too little, too late and like a backtrack from the public backlash they were starting to get,” said the employee from northern Washington.