Employees at a Florida Pizza Hut are speaking out against their manager who apparently told them they would face consequences if they didn’t show up to work during Hurricane Irma.
The Washington Post reports that the manager of a Jacksonville Pizza Hut became so determined to keep pizza sales going during the dangerous weather of Hurricane Irma that a threatening letter was pinned up to let employees know that they would likely be disciplined if they missed work.
The Associated Press (AP) reports that on Monday, the waters in Jacksonville left many people stuck in their homes after the city was flooded several feet in numerous parts of the city.
“This is not a one-day event,”Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said. “This is probably a weeklong event. We’re going to have to see on a day-to-day basis.”
BREAKING: Irma power outages climb to more than 7 million homes, businesses in several states; majority in Florida. https://t.co/C3mrL4dSL7
— The Associated Press (@AP) September 11, 2017
The manager’s post quickly spread across social media, catching the attention of the Pizza Hut headquarters. The company followed up with a response that let the public know that the manager’s actions were not a part of any policy that Pizza Hut honors, including local franchises.
“We absolutely do not have a policy that dictates when team members can leave or return from a disaster, and the manager who posted this letter did not follow company guidelines. We can also confirm that the local franchise operator has addressed this situation with the manager involved.”
It’s still unclear what, if any, kind of discipline the Pizza Hut manager faced after posting the letter.
In many instances, a number of fast food restaurants offer assistance and free food to victims in the aftermath of a hurricane. However, employees who decide to work during a dangerous tropical storm run the risk of sabotaging their own safety, as well the protection of their cars.
[Feature Photo: AP/Alan Diaz]
