Not All Stores Are Ready To Return To 24/7 Operations BY JAY SINGH, CHAIRMAN, NCASEF, PRESIDENT, SAN ANTONIO FOA
As we all know, 7-Eleven has been a home than working, so many have opted 24/7 operation for nearly six decades. to remain unemployed. Needless to say, Every single franchisee has signed an they have zero incentive to return to work agreement with SEI to keep their store or to seek new employment until this open around the clock, except in cases extra stimulus expires on September 6. where local ordinances prohibit it. Our brand is known for that. Even through natural disasters like hurricanes and severe winter storms, most of our stores have remained open to serve our communities. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has proven to be a huge challenge to our modus operandi. In the beginning of the pandemic, when very little was known about the new coronavirus, lockdowns were instituted throughout the country to help curb the spread of the disease. “For many stores the overnight hours remain Only businesses conpractically unprofitable, and it makes little sense sidered essential—like for them to remain open during that time.” convenience stores, supermarkets, food The labor shortage exacerbated by manufacturers, banks, and healthcare providers, to name a few—were allowed the pandemic has made it very difficult to remain open. But panic quickly set in for many franchisees to keep their stores and many small business owners, espe- open 24/7. Franchisees in some big cities cially 7-Eleven franchisees, soon found like New York had to close their stores themselves short-staffed as employees entirely in the early weeks of the outbreak because they could not find emquit out of fear of getting inflected. The situation was compounded ployees at all, even for their day hours. when the federal government began sup- But the shift franchisees are having the plementing regular state unemployment most difficulty filling is the overnight. benefits with an extra $600 per week, now Even during the best of times, it is a chaldown to $300. People then quickly real- lenge to find people willing to work the ized they could earn more money staying overnight hours, and the pandemic has made this problem far, far worse. “The labor shortage exacerbated Early in the pandemic, by the pandemic has made it very the National Coalition created a template letter that frandifficult for many franchisees to chisees could give their markeep their stores open 24/7.” ket managers or zone leaders
to request permission to close their stores overnight by invoking the force majeure clause in our contract, since this pandemic was far beyond our control or anyone else’s. Franchisees asked for this permission not only because of the employee shortage, but also because the overnight hours were not very profitable due to the pandemic. And this is still the case. For many stores, the overnight hours remain practically unprofitable, and it makes little sense for them to remain open during that time. SEI has complied with the requests, for the most part. The company has even offered to help franchisees find staff for their stores. They tried their best to provide candidates, but many of them turn out to be applicants who just want to show the unemployment department that they applied for a job so they can continue receiving their unemployment checks. So it is still very hard to find employees. Through continued on page 26
Here is a photograph of the front door of a corporate store taken in May of 2021 which had to restrict its hours to 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. AVANTI M AY | J U N E 2 0 2 1
25
