Hobby Lobby To Furlough 600 In Wisconsin, But Not Without A Fight

MILWAUKEE, WI — Hobby Lobby has become the latest coronavirus casualty as company officials announced they're furloughing more than 600 of their workers due to a "sudden, dramatic and unexpected downturn in business caused by the coronavirus."

They didn't close without a fight. According to a CBS News report, Hobby Lobby is reopening stores in parts of the U.S. that have stay-at-home orders because company officials say they're an "essential business" because they make-your-own-mask supplies, educational materials and items for small businesses. Earlier this month, police in West Allis had to close one store, citing Gov. Tony Evers' "safer at home" order.

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In Wisconsin, the prospect of an open Hobby Lobby store is no longer the case.

According to a notice submitted to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development on April 3, the furloughs will happen at stores in 21 Wisconsin communities: Appleton, Brookfield, Eau Claire, Franklin, Green Bay, Janesville, Kenosha, Madison, Manitowoc, Menomonee Falls, Monona, Onalaska, Oshkosh, Racine, Rhinelander, Rice Lake, Waukesha, Wausau, Wauwatosa, West Allis, and West Bend.

Company officials said they saw a " a drastic decrease in customers, a substantial loss of revenue, and the unforeseeable store closure on March 25, 2020 in accordance with the Governor’s Emergency Order 12, which impacted all employees."

The furloughs impact a total of 639 employees, according to company officials.

Company officials say they're monitoring the situation to see how long the furloughs have to last.

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