Hobby Lobby closes all stores, furloughs most employees without pay
Hobby lobby storefront
Hobby Lobby is temporarily closing all stores in response to the COVID-19 pandemic after reopening despite stay-at-home orders across the country.
The remainder of the stores will be closed and nearly all store employees will be furloughed without pay, effective Friday, April 3 at 8 p.m., according to a statement on the store's website.
The closures will be effective until further notice.
The company will also be ending emergency leave pay and suspending use of company-provided paid time off benefits "in order to allow our furloughed employees to take full advantage of the Pandemic Unemployment Compensation and Recovery Rebates provided to eligible employees by the federal government...with the requirements outlined in the CARES Act (subject to State law requirements)."
However, the store will maintain and will pay the cost of employee premiums for medical, dental, life, and long-term disability benefits.
Employees will retain their original dates of hire and any accrued PPTO and vacation once stores are able to reopen.
“Until then, we pray for those affected by the virus, protection for the health care professionals caring for the sick, economic security for all impacted businesses and employees, and wisdom for our leaders,” the statement read.