Workers of Advance Auto Parts/CarQuest have been deemed “essential” under the guise that they provide direct assistance to first responders’ vehicles; this is a PR spin the CEO of Advance Auto Parts Tom Greco continues to perpetuate. 

The truth is, a very small number of distribution hubs could handle delivering parts to the auto shops that service first responders vehicles, and the overwhelming majority of business that is seen in stores is frivolous and not urgent (questions about motor oil easily answered by a google search, air freshener and car wash). 

Advance Auto Parts have put out numerous false statements that they are providing sanitation supplies to each store and the stores are cleaned thoroughly. The truth is, higher-ups waited until sanitation supplies were sold out, then mandated store managers scramble to find them locally. Many stores are using degreaser as disinfectant, which of course does not kill coronavirus. Many stores do not have any hand sanitizer. The stores do not allow for social distancing protocols to be followed. 

An internal memo told workers they are not allowed to wear any protective gear such as masks or gloves to protect themselves. Advance Auto Parts/CarQuest only cares about their image and not their employees’ health and safety, or that of their customers. They want that bottom dollar, period.

Multiple reports on social media have shown Advance Auto Parts Human Resources and management are fully aware there are employees with direct exposure to diagnosed cases of coronavirus currently working in stores or are home on quarantine and they refuse to pay them to keep themselves and the customers safe, instead advising them they could return to work after 72 hours to continue infecting others. They have strong-armed their employees into choosing between keeping a roof over their head or mass-infecting the general public. 

The CEO of Advance Auto Parts/CarQuest makes upwards of 8 million dollars a year, but they cannot extend even two weeks of sick pay to their workers who have been exposed to COVID-19. They refuse to allow sick time donations between employees also, thereby ensuring other employees and customers continue to contract and spread Coronavirus. 

Advance Auto Parts/CarQuest needs to do the right thing and provide sick pay to ALL workers under quarantine, not just those with a positive test result; these tests are hard to come by and it’s a petty propriety to stand on that each employee must have their own positive test result before they will be granted paid time off. If a family member is diagnosed, it is the responsible thing to allow Advance Auto Parts/CarQuest employees good quarantine WITH PAY to ensure the spread of COVID-19 is slowed. 

We demand mandatory 14 days of sick pay be extended to ALL employees who are under quarantine orders! It is not at the discretion of non-healthcare professionals who should and shouldn’t quarantine or who should wear PPE.