McDonald's Faces Serious Allegations of Sexual Misconduct in the UK
McDonald's is under fire in the UK and Ireland as hundreds of current and former employees come forward with serious allegations of misconduct. According to reports, more than 700 complaints have been lodged with the London-based law firm Leigh Day, which specializes in employment law. Many of the allegations involve young workers aged 19 and under, with some claiming they were assigned shifts in exchange for sexual favors.
Specific incidents include claims of inappropriate touching by a restaurant manager and intrusive questions about sexual histories. The scope of the scandal is significant, with over 450 McDonald's outlets—about one-third of all locations in the UK—implicated in the allegations. Employees have reported experiencing discrimination, homophobia, racism, ableism, and harassment.
Despite promises from Alistair Macrow, head of McDonald's operations in the UK and Ireland, to improve working conditions after acknowledging a “toxic culture” within the company, it appears that little has changed. In a recent statement, McDonald's claimed that they had not been made aware of the incidents of shift trading for sex but vowed to conduct a thorough investigation if provided with sufficient information.
The law firm anticipates that more employees may join the growing lawsuit, as awareness increases regarding their rights in the workplace.
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