McDonald’s on Wednesday said that it is offering new workplace training amid controversy following dozens of workers’ complaints of sexual harassment.
The online and in-person training will start in October, with its 2,000 U.S. franchises committing to provide it to a combined 850,000 employees, the company wrote in a news release.
{mosads}The company said it could later expand the training globally but will for now start with the 14,000 American restaurants.
During the training, supervisors and employees will use computer-based programs and in-person discussions to learn about harassment and workplace safety. It will also cover workplace violence, unconscious bias, bullying and bystander intervention.
“There is a deeply important conversation around safe and respectful workplaces in communities throughout the U.S. and around the world,” McDonald’s USA President Chris Kempczinski said in a statement.
The new training aims to build on a program launched last fall that was completed by 95 percent of U.S. franchisees and restaurant general managers, the statement read. It also follows the Chicago-based company’s teaming up with anti-sexual violence organization RAINN to improve its discrimination, harassment and retaliation prevention policies.
The company’s announcement comes after dozens of sexual harassment claims — including “groping, indecent exposure, propositions for sex and lewd comments by supervisors” — were filed earlier this year against both franchise and corporate-owned restaurants in 20 cities.
Multiple 2020 Democratic presidential candidates, including former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), have stood in solidarity with striking McDonald’s workers who want a higher minimum wage and greater worker protections.