CHARLOTTE, N.C. — McDonald's announced Friday that it plans to hire 11,000 workers in the Charlotte area to fill essential positions this summer.
In a release, McDonald's said restaurants nationwide are expected to hire 260,000 employees this summer as states reopen their economies and dining rooms are allowed to reopen. The company says it has implemented nearly 50 new safety procedures to protect customers and employees from COVID-19. Those measures include temperatures checks, social distancing stickers in stores and protective barriers at order points.
“It was important to us to stay open through Drive Thru, take-out and delivery to serve our communities throughout the COVID-19 crisis. As local business owners, we’re proud to provide employment and educational opportunities to our crew and look forward to welcoming new employees to our McFamily this summer,” said Wade Dixon, an owner-operator of a McDonald's in North Carolina.
More than 1.4 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week, marking the 14th straight week with at least 1 million jobless claims.
Before this week’s heightened worries about the pandemic, many economists had been relatively optimistic. In May, the unemployment rate unexpectedly declined, though to a still-high 13.3%. Consumers began spending again, sending retail sales jumping by a record amount. And sales of new homes rose as record-low mortgage rates fueled buyer interest.