March 19'th - Change.org "During the COVID-19 outbreak, The Cheesecake Factory is not paying their employees and forcing them to file for unemployment." "Management all over the country told staff (servers bartenders bussers host, anyone affected by layoff) we would be paid based on a calculation that was still being determined by corporate." "Plus on top of not paying we have insurance premiums." [Insurance supplied through the company.] March 25'th - EATER "The Cheesecake Factory, one of the most popular sit-down restaurant chains in the country, says it will not be able to make upcoming rent payments for ANY of its storefronts on April 1 because of significant loss of income due to the coronavirus crisis...Company chairman and CEO David Overton writes, “Due to these extraordinary events, I am asking for your patience, and frankly, your help.”" Translation: "We're holding on to our money and our landlords will just have to wait until we get a bailout from the Feds. Our employees will just have to fend for themselves."
At some stores with only some of the people still employed. The others were told to just file unemployment. Even though management wants them to keep themselves available if they end up opening again. That's not unemployed. That's being on call.
Correct, which is why those affected can file for "partial" unemployment, which allows you to work and collect as long as you are making less and working less than you normally would. For example, if an employee doesn't work one week, that is a full week's worth of unemployment. If that employee is called in for a few hours the following week, then they will receive their unemployment rate (plus 20%) minus what was paid to them for that week. You can keep claiming partial unemployment benefits until your money runs out or your job gives you your full hours back. You can request to change from partial to full unemployment if you feel your employer will not take you back and the Department of Labor can question your employer on your behalf if you will be returning to work anytime soon if your employer hasn't asked you to come back to work at your full hours.
At least around here if you try filing for partial unemployment you have a good chance of being harassed and fired. This isn't uncommon in college towns. Where the businesses think they've got thousands of potential employees right across the street. This happened when I worked at a convenience store several years ago. They dropped someone down from full time to part time. Then required him to be on call not just for his store but for two other stores as well. He filed for unemployment which got his schedule cut down to one day a week. He updated his unemployment. Got cut down to half a shift. He updated again. Finally got fired which the company said they were wanting to do all along. In truth, the guy was a great employee. They screwed him over because there was an investigation into health code violations and he told the truth. The point is, even though he got the unemployment he had to go through a ton of extra crap just to get it.
I'm a restaurant worker, and I haven't heard of any restaurants paying their employees through this time. That's why companies pay into unemployment insurance.
My wife works for a company that runs school cafeterias. With the schools closed, the company has no income. Most of the employees have been furloughed, and the owner told them to file for unemployment.
