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You are here: Home / Healthcare / COVID-19 / Doing the Right Thing

Doing the Right Thing

by @heymistermix.com|  March 16, 20209:07 am| 33 Comments

This post is in: COVID-19

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I’ve been an REI member since the 80’s and have always thought they were a really socially responsible organization, but this letter I received from the CEO last night seals it:

After a great deal of careful consideration, we are temporarily closing our 162 retail stores nationwide starting tomorrow, March 16, until March 27. I believe that is the right thing for our community. In fact, I believe it is our duty—to do all we can to help keep one another safe in this unprecedented moment.

That also means all employees from these stores will be paid during this temporary closure. And, even with our stores closed, we will be working hard to do everything we can to continue to serve our customers. All orders through REI.com will get free shipping while our stores are closed. Customers who have questions about gear and local outdoor activities that they’d normally ask in our stores can get answers through our digital community, REI Conversations. Co-op Journal will feature articles that help people find ways to get outside even during these challenging times.

Patagonia did the same thing a couple of days ago.

I get it that these are high-end consumer brands, either co-operatively or privately owned, but someone needs to set an example. Good for them. Please share other examples, if you have them, in the comments.

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Previous Post: « Monday Morning Open Thread: Hope for the Best, Prepare for the Worst
Next Post: Close up the honky tonks »

Reader Interactions

33Comments

  1. 1.

    germy

    March 16, 2020 at 9:10 am

    Damn, Norway. pic.twitter.com/IwHskXGkB0— Jeremy Klemin (@JeremyKlemin) March 15, 2020

  2. 2.

    narya

    March 16, 2020 at 9:10 am

    I would love for a list of these places that did the right thing–closed down, paid employees–so that I can support them.

  3. 3.

    Dorothy A. Winsor

    March 16, 2020 at 9:14 am

    This is small potatoes compared to a chain shutting down, but my publisher has stopped shipping paperbacks for the duration and is encouraging people to switch to ebooks.

  4. 4.

    germy

    March 16, 2020 at 9:16 am

    This sheep escaped a farm and spent 6 years in the mountains, during which time he grew 60 pounds of wool. Wolves tried to eat him, but their teeth could not penetrate the floof. You don't have to turn hard to survive the wolves, just be really, really soft and fluffy. pic.twitter.com/a7RnYMCxxY
    — #$@£€₩¥% (@FiqhTabayyun) March 15, 2020

  5. 5.

    Gin & Tonic

    March 16, 2020 at 9:25 am

    @Dorothy A. Winsor: Maybe they could take a really revolutionary step and charge less for e-books than for physical books.

  6. 6.

    NotMax

    March 16, 2020 at 9:26 am

    REI

    Never heard of them.

  7. 7.

    Aimai

    March 16, 2020 at 9:26 am

    My fucking health care company is still trying to figure out a way to let us work remotely (to see patient data or to call patients at a distance) for therapy. They still think we should come to the office or use our sick/vacation time to not come. They are unable to respect the wirk we do with our therapy patients to make this happen. And they are unable (or were before I unilaterally called my patients and cancelled) to admit our building was not safe. I am home, applying for FMLA and if they can’t get their act together in two weeks Imma gonna quit.

  8. 8.

    Gin & Tonic

    March 16, 2020 at 9:28 am

    @germy: Pretty funny, except for the part about that sheep living in New Zealand, where there are no predators.

  9. 9.

    ADK Man

    March 16, 2020 at 9:30 am

    @narya:  And if you can afford it, buy a gift certificate from the retailers doing the right thing.

  10. 10.

    LesGS

    March 16, 2020 at 9:36 am

    My younger daughter works for Lush Cosmetics (sells handmade soap, shampoo, etc.). As of today, they closed their stores, giving their employees two paid weeks off.

  11. 11.

    Gin & Tonic

    March 16, 2020 at 9:37 am

    @NotMax: Seattle-based recreational-equipment retailer (camping gear, bikes, kayaks, etc.) Organized as a co-operative, so members get a rebate each year based on their purchases.

  12. 12.

    Ohio Mom

    March 16, 2020 at 9:46 am

    Aimai@7: I hear similar things from my friend the social worker who mainly counsels families with challenging kids. I always thought social work agencies would be thoughtful employers but her’s at least seems to channel Jack Welch.

  13. 13.

    Adam C

    March 16, 2020 at 9:55 am

    Vineyard Vines sent an email last night that they were shutting all retail locations until 3/27 and paying workers for any shifts that have been scheduled. It’s not perfect, but it’s something.

  14. 14.

    MattF

    March 16, 2020 at 10:01 am

    @Gin & Tonic: Camus’ La Peste is selling for $0.99 in the Apple book store.

  15. 15.

    Mingobat (f/k/a Karen in GA)

    March 16, 2020 at 10:05 am

    @Gin & Tonic: Oh yeah?  What about orcs?

  16. 16.

    Dorothy A. Winsor

    March 16, 2020 at 10:12 am

    @Gin & Tonic:

    Ebooks = $3.99 or 3,49 pounds

    Ppb  = $14.99 or 9,99 pounds

    I’m always shocked by ebooks costing over $10. I’m in favor of writers and publishers making money, but that’s extortion.

  17. 17.

    Gin & Tonic

    March 16, 2020 at 10:17 am

    In more of “doing the right thing” – ski area operator Vail Resorts (37 resorts in 15 states and 3 countries) has closed North American operations for at least a week to “reassess”, but says “All our scheduled employees, both seasonal and year-round, will be paid during this upcoming eight-day period, without needing to use any vacation or sick time. Their commitment to our company and guests during this uncertain time has been unwavering and I am personally grateful beyond words.”

    What happens after this week is unknown, but for most North American ski resorts this is getting close to the end of their season, so I doubt they will re-open.

  18. 18.

    matryoshka

    March 16, 2020 at 10:21 am

    I became an REI member recently and signed up for one of their adventure trips that was supposed to occur in early April. When I signed up last November, they made sure I understood the cancellation policy–within 30 days of trip, no refund. When I called last week to tell them I could not, in good conscience, go ahead with the trip, I had a full refund within 10 minutes. If or when there is such a thing as recreational travel again, I am going with REI and a heart full of gratitude for their flexibility on this. They are a great company.

  19. 19.

    WaitingForMountainLife

    March 16, 2020 at 10:29 am

    Fabletics is closing their stores for two weeks and paying their employees. Online store is open. (This is Kate Hudson’s athletic wear company).

    And I’m a long time lurker, first time poster.

  20. 20.

    lee

    March 16, 2020 at 10:45 am

    @matryoshka:

    I’ve been a member of REI since the early 90’s. Great company to do business with.

  21. 21.

    JanieM

    March 16, 2020 at 10:53 am

    I joined REI in about 1970, but I haven’t shopped there for a long time. I gave up serious hiking years ago when my knees failed, and anyhow, I live a hop/skip/jump from the LL Bean mother planet, so when I need outdoor stuff I tend to just stop in there.

    So I was surprised recently to get an REI dividend check for $8.95 in the mail. I hadn’t bought anything, so why was I getting the dividend? I started to wonder if REI had gone the way of dishonest/manipulative advertising, like practically ever other entity on earth, and I wondered hard enough to send a note through their website contact channel.

    I got a message back almost immediately saying that my member # had been used at a store in Albuquerque last summer, maybe it was a friend or relative wanting to give me the rebate?

    No, I said, that couldn’t have happened, since I would be hard put to it to locate my member # at this point, much less give it to someone else.

    Okay, they said, probably a typo on the part of the clerk, but the $8.95 is still yours to spend.

  22. 22.

    Soprano2

    March 16, 2020 at 11:02 am

    Land’s End sent out an e-mail yesterday that they are doing this too.

  23. 23.

    Jager

    March 16, 2020 at 11:03 am

    If you ever get to Ventura, visit Patagonia, Yvon Chounard’s little blacksmith shop is preserved behind their retail location. The company began when he started selling his handmade pitons to his climber friends. A friend of my wife works in their marketing department as an ad designer. Great company as is, REI.

  24. 24.

    evap

    March 16, 2020 at 11:05 am

    My daughter works at a ski resort in Colorado and the governor has ordered a shutdown of all ski resorts for a month.  Vail Resorts is going to continue to pay their full-time employees, much to the relief of my daughter.   She may have to do some part-time work since she is in property management and there are things to be done even if the resort is shut, but she will be paid full-time wages regardless of how much she does.

    Edited:  Oops, G&T got in before I did.

  25. 25.

    Calouste

    March 16, 2020 at 11:23 am

    All the major tech companies AFAIK (Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Facebook) have their core staff working from home, but still pay their support staff (cleaners, catering, etc.) while the offices are closed.

  26. 26.

    Marci Kesserich

    March 16, 2020 at 12:19 pm

    Lululemon sent out essentially the same email, also paying their employees during the shutdown.

  27. 27.

    dlwchico

    March 16, 2020 at 12:20 pm

    Sierra Nevada Brewery.

    Dear friends: the health and well-being of our community is our most important priority. Based on best practices and the evolving COVID-19 guidance from state and federal health officials, we will be temporarily closing all of our guest experiences at both of our breweries and our Berkeley Torpedo Room.

    Effective today, Sunday, March 15, we will be closing the Chico and Mills River taprooms, tours and gift shops, and the Berkeley Torpedo Room. These locations are targeted to remain closed through March 22. During this shutdown, we will be temporarily reconfiguring the restaurants and gift stores to allow for more space between tables/displays to promote greater “social distancing”, cleaning and sanitizing all equipment and surfaces, and providing special training to employees on additional best practices where appropriate. Unless circumstances change, we are targeting to reopen our locations to the public on Monday March 23. All of our employees who are affected by this decision will continue to receive payment and benefits.

    As this situation evolves, we will evaluate the best path forward. We look forward to providing more updates soon. Take care of yourselves and each other.

  28. 28.

    No One of Consequence

    March 16, 2020 at 12:27 pm

    @Jager: Yves is the shit. So is PataGucci. I say this not as a dig, but as a term of endearment, and I have no other high end brands other than a single Taylor guitar.

    Patagonia’s prices for used gear are worth it if you realize their fix/replace policy is awesome.

    My $0.02.

    Peace and please wash your hands,

    NOoC

  29. 29.

    wmd

    March 16, 2020 at 12:42 pm

    My employer told us to work from home if possible on March 6. They announced that hourly workers that could not work from home, but were not needed at offices due to low demand (cafeteria, etc) would be paid their usual wages.

    This seems to be the case at least some other large tech companies in Silicon Valley.

  30. 30.

    JustRuss

    March 16, 2020 at 1:37 pm

    Friend of mine worked at REI HQ in Seattle a few years ago.  She does not have nice things to say about how they treated some of her coworkers who had health issues.  Glad they’re stepping up now.

  31. 31.

    Gravie

    March 16, 2020 at 2:05 pm

    Chef Jose Andres is converting many of his DC-area restaurants into community kitchens to help people who’ll be especially hard-hit by offering takeout food. Closing the restaurants per se for the duration, but guaranteeing pay and sick leave to his employees for at least two weeks.

    https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/jose-andres-is-closing-his-dc-area-restaurants-setting-up-community-kitchens/2241776/?fbclid=IwAR0gkbtxCENexfdVPdSS3mBhK4-ZSULrTzVZuV1nkyoLtYE4KbKlAddm-8Q

  32. 32.

    J R in WV

    March 16, 2020 at 2:50 pm

    @Gin & Tonic:

    eBooks are always discounted from the price of a hardback. Stuff that would be cheesy paperback novels frequently are $1.98 or less. I love cheesy space opera, as long as the people are somewhat realistic, for burning up time.

  33. 33.

    slipz

    March 17, 2020 at 6:38 am

    LL Bean is closing all their stores as well. Company officials said L.L.Bean plans to continue pay and benefits for all year-round employees affected by the retail closure.

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