Darden rolls out paid sick leave.

Restaurant group rolls out new plan for paid sick leave

The restaurant giant behind Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse has rolled out a paid sick leave policy at the same time restaurants are facing a tight labor market and concerns about coronavirus.

The new policy for Orlando-based Darden Restaurants, which had about 1,800 restaurants in November, applies to all of its more than 180,000 hourly employees. About 75% of those workers did not have paid sick leave before the policy, spokesman Rich Jeffers said.

“With the stroke of a pen, they have just worked their way around everything, and they have scooped the entire industry,” said restaurant analyst John Gordon. “They have set the casual dining standard.”

But in 2013, Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill backed by Darden Restaurants and other businesses that blocked local governments from enacting laws to mandate paid sick time. Activists had pushed for sick time in Orange and Miami-Dade counties.

When asked about the change, Jeffers pointed out the company had different leadership at the time. Gene Lee became CEO in 2015.

Stephanie Porta, who advocated for earned sick time in Orange County, called Darden’s announcement “bittersweet.” She added she hoped the company would track the impact of the new policy to show that it is actually good for business.

“It’s never too late to do what’s right, and we’re not going to forget their history of doing what was wrong,” said Porta, executive director of Organize Florida.