McDonald’s CEO sacked over office romance

NEW YORK: McDonald’s chief executive officer has been pushed out of the company after violating company policy by engaging in a consensual relationship with an employee, the corporation said.

The fast food giant said on Sunday that former president and CEO Steve Easterbrook (pic) had demonstrated poor judgment and that McDonald’s forbids managers from having romantic relationships with direct or indirect subordinates.

In an email to employees, Easterbrook acknowledged that he had a relationship with an employee and said it was a mistake.

“Given the values of the company, I agree with the board that it is time for me to move on,” he said.

McDonald’s board of directors voted on Easterbrook’s departure on Friday after conducting a thorough review.

Details of his separation package was released yesterday in a federal filing, said a company spokesman.

Easterbrook, who had served as CEO since 2015, will also be leaving the company’s board.

McDonald’s would not provide details about the employee with whom he was involved.

The board of directors named Chris Kempczinski, who recently served as president of McDonald’s USA, as its new president and CEO.

McDonald’s action may be a sign of progress on workplace issues that have come to light in the #MeToo era, said Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond.

“Other companies don’t always act on that kind of information or fire their CEO for that, so it seems like they trying to enforce a pretty strict policy in this situation,” he said.