Ex-McDonald's CEO Fires Back at Chain's Effort to Strip Pay

- Easterbrook denies he covered up relationships with employees
- McDonald's sued executive over sexual relations with workers

"McDonald's -- a sophisticated entity represented by numerous internal and external experts when it entered into the separation agreement -- is aware it cannot credibly allege a breach of contract claim," Easterbrook's lawyers said Friday in a filing Delaware Chancery Court, seeking to have the lawsuit thrown out. "Instead, it improperly seeks to manufacture claims for a breach of fiduciary duty or fraud."

"McDonald's stands by its complaint, both the factual assertions and the court in which it was filed," the company said.

McDonald's said an internal investigation discovered "dozens of nude, partially nude or sexually explicit photographs and videos of various women, including photographs of these Company employees, that Easterbrook had sent as attachments to messages from his Company e-mail account to his personal e-mail account."

McDonald's alleged in the lawsuit that Easterbrook had "lied to the Company and the Board and destroyed information regarding" his behavior, which allegedly occurred in 2018 and 2019.

Read today's full story
 

Protests & Violence

D&D Daily Analysis: Weekend Crime Rising Again
This Past Weekend Saw Most Shootings, Deaths Since July 4th Weekend

198 Shootings, 47 Killed in 37 U.S. Cities Studied - Aug. 14-16

Following the historically violent July 4th weekend, where we reported 233 shootings and 70 killed in 30 cities studied, the D&D Daily published a four-week report to monitor violent crime in these same cities.

This past weekend, the Daily analyzed crime in 37 cities and found that crime appears to be on the rise again. The Aug. 14-16 weekend saw the most shootings and deaths since the 4th of July weekend.

Click here to view the complete breakdown of this past weekend's violence in 37 American cities, including those under the umbrella of 'Operation Legend'. Continue to follow along in the coming weeks as the Daily monitors violence in these cities.

Riot declared, dozens arrested and officers injured in
Portland, Seattle, Chicago weekend protests
Dozens were arrested over the weekend in major cities including Portland, Seattle and Chicago as demonstrations over systemic racism and police brutality in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd continued.

Video taken Sunday showed a confrontation blocks away from a peaceful protest in Portland after police declared a riot overnight Saturday. Protests, often violent, have happened nightly in Portland for more than two months follow Floyd's death on Memorial Day in Minneapolis.

Three police officers were injured and 18 people were arrested as a result of a riot in Seattle involving explosives, bottles and rocks, authorities said. A protest against the Seattle Police Officers Guild erupted into violence just after 10 p.m. Sunday night, police said in a news release. Someone set off a large explosive and attempted to break the window of a police vehicle, the statement said. Of the three officers injured, police said one was hospitalized.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot praised city police Sunday for "fairly quickly" settling weekend protests that devolved into violent skirmishes while activists and other elected officials blasted police for unnecessary aggressive tactics. usatoday.com

Looting Causing Foot Traffic Decline
Small business owner says 'domino effect' of looting hurting downtown shops

'People don't want to come downtown'

A second round of looting in downtown Chicago largely targeted a number of high-end shops, but some smaller, family-run businesses say they're being hurt just as much. Just across the street from Grant Park sits Kilwins, a sweet business that's having a pretty sour season.

"We're a location that solely depends on foot traffic and tourism and festivals," said co-owner Janel Jackson.

In March, the pandemic and shutdown deeply impacted their stores. After the rioting and looting in late May, they took a major hit as their store on Michigan Avenue was among the many vandalized. It's just been a domino effect, one thing after the next after the next," Jackson said.

Even though this candy and ice cream shop did not get hit during last week's looting, Jackson said it's still had a chilling effect. Their landlord has even given them warning about back rent due.

"We look great, but if neighbors get looted and this neighbor gets looted and the block next to us gets looted... we still have to reap the repercussions of all that," Jackson said. "We still don't have the foot traffic anymore because now people don't want to come downtown." wgntv.com
 

COVID Update

US: Over 5.5M Cases - 173K Dead - 2.9M Recovered
Worldwide: Over 21.9M Cases - 774K Dead - 14.6M Recovered

Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 183   Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 80
*Red indicates change in total deaths

FL.'s All Time High in COVID Deaths - But Crisis Improving
Florida Just Reported Its Deadliest Week For Coronavirus
Over the past week, the state of Florida reported over 1,266 new deaths from Covid-19, setting a sobering new high for one of the nation's coronavirus epicenters, even as other statistics continue to show the state's crisis improving.

Other metrics, like new cases, hospitalizations and positive testing rate, have steadily dropped, indicating coronavirus spread in the state is slowing down.

Deaths tend to lag behind other statistics, suggesting that the record breaking week was likely a result of case rises earlier in the summer

Florida reported 3,779 new coronavirus cases Sunday. That number is higher than what most countries usually report in a day, but it's actually the lowest daily case increase since June.

Tx.; Another summer coronavirus hot spot, reported from Saturday, Aug. 8, to Saturday, Aug. 15. The Lone Star State topped 1,700 deaths over that week alone. forbes.com

Validating the Daily's 'Mid Year Retail Violent Fatalities' Report 22% Increase
Troubling Surge in Homicides

In the Wake of Covid-19 Lockdowns, a Troubling Surge in Homicides

Across 20 major cities, the murder rate at the end of June was on average 37 percent higher than it was at the end of May. The increase over the same period a year ago was just 6 percent.

Much of it has involved incidents of random, angry violence like the conflict at the gas station - disputes between strangers that left someone dead, or killings that simply cannot be explained.

They have also prompted a much-debated intervention from the federal government, an operation named after the 4-year-old Kansas City boy, LeGend Taliferro, that has sent federal law enforcement agents to at least six cities in an attempt to intervene. nytimes.com

Domestic Violence, the "Shadow Pandemic," Grows during Coronavirus
On a global scale, domestic violence has become such a big problem that the United Nations describes it as the "shadow pandemic" with the coronavirus pandemic.

However, the coronavirus has added an entirely new dynamic to the stress and strain within the household. Domestic violence is thought to have increased by 20% during the coronavirus lockdowns and closures.the UN has reported increases in the use of domestic violence helplines and shelters. inhomelandsecurity.com

COVID Driving Home Depot's Store Traffic Up 35% Over LY Since April
Americans, stuck at home without much to do, have used the pandemic to remodel, fix and redecorate. Home-improvement stores were deemed essential services during lockdowns in many locations and allowed to remain open. wsj.com

Kroger & CVS Offering COVID Testing to Employers
Kroger and CVS Health are both pitching themselves to employers as nationwide testing delays cause long waits for patients and make it harder for public health officials to track the virus and stop its spread.

CVS has a program called Return Ready. Companies and colleges can hire the health-care company to open Covid-19 test sites at an office or on a campus, track tests at its drive-thru sites or handle related services, such as contact tracing or administering flu shots. CVS has more than 1,800 drive-thru testing locations.

Kroger's COVIDCare Plus is striking deals with corporations that can buy its at-home test kits at $119 each, which are shipped overnight to employees. Kroger can customize the program like setting up a test site at large manufacturing or meatpacking plants. It also plans to add rapid testing at its store pharmacies. cnbc.com

Corporate Leaders - Support Getting Your Flu Shot
Fearing a 'Twindemic,' Health Experts Push Urgently for Flu Shots
As public health officials look to fall and winter, the specter of a new surge of Covid-19 gives them chills. But there is a scenario they dread even more: a severe flu season, resulting in a "twindemic."

Even a mild flu season could stagger hospitals already coping with Covid-19 cases. And though officials don't know yet what degree of severity to anticipate this year, they are worried large numbers of people could forgo flu shots, increasing the risk of widespread outbreaks.

The concern about a twindemic is so great that officials around the world are pushing the flu shot even before it becomes available in clinics and doctors' offices. Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been talking it up, urging corporate leaders to figure out ways to inoculate employees. The C.D.C. usually purchases 500,000 doses for uninsured adults but this year ordered an additional 9.3 million doses.

The 2019-20 flu season in the United States was mild, according to the C.D.C. But a mild flu season still takes a toll. In preliminary estimates, the C.D.C. says that cases ranged from 39 million to 56 million, resulting in up to 740,000 hospitalizations and from 24,000 to 62,000 flu-related deaths. nytimes.com

Getting Back to Normal
Walmart & Others Staying Open Later Now
The trend of shortening hours when the pandemic started, in order to restock and step up cleaning procedures, is now well in hand with Walmart hiring 200,000 and Kroger hiring 100,000 new associates and others just getting operations back under control.

Top retailers and grocers are starting to extend hours and returning to normal operations. A shift that will be more visible nationwide as time goes on and hopefully have a calming effect. cnn.com

Masks That Don't Help
New Guidance on Face Masks and COVID-19
Masks with valves don't stop the virus, the CDC warns
New information and guidance have emerged on how face masks prevent the spread of COVID-19 and which ones provide the best protection. Masks with valves are ineffective; neck gaiters, worn around the neck and pulled up over the mouth and nose when needed, may not work either. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also discourages the use of clear plastic face shields as a substitute for masks. shrm.org
 

Flying Soon? Check the Mask List Airlines Get Specific on Mask Types - Policies for 11 Carriers Airlines are tightening face mask rules.

Coming Thursday
Mid-Year COVID Impacted Retail Crime Stats Analysis
With everything stripped away, and thousands of stores closed, we see COVID-19's direct impact. With retail crime reflecting society's crime trends almost to a T. We'll take a closer look Thursday along with how the senior jobs activity was impacted. Just some thoughts. -Gus Downing

Wage theft plagues L.A. garment workers
Why aren't fashion retailers held responsible?

Cheap Clothing & 45,000 Immigrant Workers in Small LA Apparel Factories

Advocates are proposing the industry's biggest reforms in a generation, legislation that would turn the traditional pay structure on its head while holding online shops such as Fashion Nova and other retailers including Nordstrom responsible for any wage theft that occurs in the making of their apparel.

The bill, SB 1399, is so far-reaching that it's being labeled by critics as an existential threat to what remains of the region's once-booming apparel industry, which has shrunk to roughly 45,000 workers after decades of competition from cheap foreign labor. More than a dozen business groups have lined up against it, including the industry's trade association, the California Chamber of Commerce and the California Retailers Assn.

Opposition, though, is not uniform as some high-profile L.A.-area companies are backing the bill, including Reformation, which markets eco-friendly women's wear and has a celebrity clientele, and Fashion Nova, the popular fast-fashion retailer, which has been accused of turning a blind eye to wage theft but recently announced changes to its contracting practices.

The proposed reforms follow those enacted in 1999, four years after 72 undocumented Thai workers were found virtually enslaved in an El Monte apartment complex, stitching together clothing behind barbed wire. That legislation made garment manufacturers liable for wage violations by the contractors who cut, sew and otherwise produce their garments.

Advocates say that some fashion brands and retailers that carry their own clothing lines have found ways to skirt the law by employing layers of subcontracting between them and the small factories that actually produce apparel.

This is a huge overhaul of the entire industry," said Jennifer Barrera, executive vice president of the California Chamber of Commerce, which has labeled the bill a "job killer," though she acknowledged there was "no question" labor abuses occur in the industry. "You incentivize companies to basically say, 'I am not going to contract anymore in California. I can go elsewhere and not be exposed to this type of litigation.'" latimes.com

Lowe's $1.7B & 5,000 New Jobs - Supply Chain Expansion through 2023
Lowe's to open 50 cross-dock delivery terminals, 7 bulk DC's and 4 e-comm fulfillment centers over next 18 months
This new supply chain road map follows previous work by Lowe's over the past 18 months in opening more than 13 distribution and logistical facilities in places such as Chicago, Orlando, Riverside, California, and Columbus, Ohio. Enabling Lowe's to reach almost 100 percent of its nationwide customers. retailleader.com

Largest Delinquent Retail Loan in the Country
Triple Five Group falls three months behind on Mall of America $7M monthly $1.4B mortgage

Rent the Runway closing its stores to focus online

Domino's to hire 20,000

Stage Stores Heads for Liquidation
 

Senior LP & AP Jobs Market

Senior Manager, Asset Protection job posted for the Home Depot in Atlanta, GA
The Sr Manager Loss Prevention is responsible for ensuring that Asset Protection programs are fully implemented and are being executed per expectations within assigned distribution centers. Key responsibilities include analyzing and managing safety programs, shrink performance, partnering with general managers, monitoring shrink indicators and theft and fraud investigations. homedepot.com

 

BLM Protest Backs Retail Crime
Chicago, IL: Black Lives Matter Holds Rally Supporting Arrested Looters
Members of Black Lives Matter held a solidarity rally on Monday night with the more than 100 individuals who were arrested after a night of looting and unrest in Chicago. The rally was held at the South Loop police station where organizers say those individuals are currently being held in custody.

"I don't care if someone decides to loot a Gucci or a Macy's or a Nike store, because that makes sure that person eats," Ariel Atkins, a BLM organizer, said. "That makes sure that person has clothes."

Black Lives Matter Chicago organized the rally after unrest throughout the city early Monday, with police saying that more than 100 individuals were taken into custody for a variety of offenses, including looting.

"That is reparations," Atkins said. "Anything they wanted to take, they can take it because these businesses have insurance." nbcchicago.com