Today on the 22nd of March, Gamestop is to temporarily close all storefronts in lieu of the coronavirus. The company in particular has been on the receiving end of public scrutiny after its insistence of staying open in spite of the pandemic. And now, it seems that the backlash has finally forced their hand.
All this was after they called themselves “essential retail” as an excuse to stay open. Now Gamestop has temporarily closed its store but is still available to processing orders digitally and curbside pick ups.
The CEO of Gamestop has issued a statement on their stance regarding the COVID-19 crisis which does contrast with their employees confession.
Our priority has been and continues to be on the well-being of our employees, customers and business partners. We have been steadfast in our adherence to CDC-guided safety and local government orders for retailers in each of our communities.
George Sherman
Along with this statement, Gamestop claims to offer employees time off if they are feeling unwell or are not comfortable with their work schedules. And that all their US employees are entitled to reimbursement and benefits amidst the crisis.
This would contradict the confessions some of their employees had stated. One employee claims that they are not being paid time off and are encouraged to advertise how essential Gamestop’s stores are. Another employee even claimed the lack of cleaning supplies Gamestop is offering, despite claims of the store to say otherwise.
Source: IGN