Coronavirus: Religious billionaire keeps shops open and won't pay sick employees

A billionaire retail tycoon has come under fire after announcing his stores would stay open and coronavirus-hit staff will not get sick pay - saying God was in control.

Businessman David Green, who runs retail chain Hobby Lobby, wrote in a memo to all employees: "While we do not know for certain what the future holds, or how long this disruption will last, we can all rest in knowing that God is in control."

Staff have now been told that if they get sick, they will have to use their leave allowance, or take unpaid time off.

A memo obtained by Business Insider, sent out on Monday to store managers by vice president of store operations Randy Betts says the company "is going to make every effort to continue working the employees".

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Branches of Hobby Lobby remain open unless state law forces them to shut (LightRocket via Getty Images)

 

Betts wrote that ill staff members would be required to use vacation time or take an "unpaid leave of absence until further notice." 

If stores are forced to close, workers will have to run down their allocated leave before they qualify for "emergency pay", the memo said.

The chain has come in for heavy criticism.

Retail analyst Neil Saunders posted on Twitter : "Hobby Lobby, closed Sundays to allow employees time for family and worship.

"Open during a pandemic because our morals aren’t really all that great."

Workers have reportedly been told they are not eligible for sick pay (MediaNews Group via Getty Images)

"Emergency pay" is 75% of the regular rate of salary, and would be calculated based on the number of shifts a person had done in the previous six weeks.

A letter to all staff sent out last week by 78-year-old Mr Green, who is from Kansas, said: "While we do not know for certain what the future holds, or how long this disruption will last, we can all rest in knowing that God is in control.

Mr Green has been criticised for keeping stores open (AFP via Getty Images)

"To help ensure our Company remains strong and prepared to prosper once again when this passes, we may all have to 'tighten our belts' over the near future."

He continued: "We serve a God who will Guide us through this storm, who will Guard us as we travel to places never seen before, and who, as a result of this experience, will Groom us to be better than we could have ever thought possible before now."

The Christian Post said that store cleaning has been stepped up as a result of the pandemic.