The UK CEO of McDonald’s said fresh sexual harassment allegations from staff at the fast food giant are ‘abhorrent’ after a former employee said bosses placed bets on sleeping with staff
McDonald’s is facing legal action amid a ‘sex for shifts’ scandal that rocked the fast food firm.
Over 700 former and current members of staff who were 19 or younger when working for McDonald’s are suing the company saying managers “preyed on young female workers”. The legal action against the company also includes claims of discrimination, homophobia, racism, ableism and harassment.
A former employee said bosses “placed bets on sleeping with new staff”.
The employee, Rachel, said it was clear that when she joined as a 17-year-old that the work environment she faced was “toxic,” adding she was once “slapped on the bottom” by her manager when she bent down.
“I saw older male staff making bets on who could sleep with the new starters and had older guys making comments about my body,” Rachel, from the West Midlands, told The Sun.
She said she quit her job at the end of 2023, claiming she faced sexual harassment from customers and was touched by managers.
Worker Shelby began working for the fast food chain at a Berkshire branch in 2022. She was 16 at the time.
She said that colleagues would “grope stomach, waists, bums”. Shelby also said: “Every shift I worked, there would be at least a comment being made or I’d be brushed, a hand brushed across me, or it would be a more severe thing like having my bum grabbed, hips grabbed.”
West Midlands branch worker Claire, not her real name, said to the BBC that she was 17 and on a zero-hours contract when her boss, in his 30s, asked her for sex in return for extra shifts. Claire claimed management told her to “suck it up” when she tried to raise the issue.
More than 450 McDonald’s restaurants have been implicated in the allegations so far.
This week, McDonald’s UK CEO Alistair Macrow said fresh sexual harassment allegations from staff at the fast food giant are “abhorrent” and that 29 workers have been fired over the past year during a period in which 75 allegations were made, leading to 47 cases of disciplinary action.
The fast food chain had launched a new channel for employees to speak up over concerns about misconduct which had resulted in more dismissals, the boss added.
Mr Macrow also revealed that 15 franchisees have left McDonald’s over the last five years due to under-performance. Six of those were for failing to meet the standard for people practices, he said.
Mr Macrow added: “Those allegations described are abhorrent, unacceptable and there is no place for them in McDonald’s.
“There cannot be any room in our business for people who behave in that manner.
“The measures that are put in place mean that we are able to offer a secure, safe workplace where people are respected and feel included. I hear from our people that it is working.”
McDonald’s issued an apology in November 2023 when Macrow said 400 complaints had been received.
A McDonald’s spokesperson said: “Ensuring the 168,000 people that work in McDonald’s restaurants are safe is the most important responsibility for both us and our franchisees, and we have undertaken extensive work over the last year to ensure we have industry-leading practices in place to support this priority.
“Any incident of misconduct and harassment is unacceptable and subject to rapid and thorough investigation and action.”
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