Dutch Bros coffee shop in Fresno closed after employee tests positive for coronavirus
A Dutch Bros coffee shop in northeast Fresno closed this week after one of its employees tested positive for COVID-19, the company said in a statement.
The shop at 10033 N. Maple Ave., just south of Clovis North High School, shut down Wednesday and remained closed Friday. A company spokesperson said it doesn’t have a reopening date for that location.
A Dutch Bros in Merced also closed last month after employees there tested positive for COVID-19. A company spokesperson said no other Dutch Bros in the area have been closed due to coronavirus.
The popular coffee franchise was founded in Oregon and has shops throughout the West, many now operating as drive-thru only.
In a statement, Dutch Bros said it immediately started closing procedures for the Maple Avenue location on Wednesday, the same day one of its employees received a positive result after taking a coronavirus test June 25. That employee was advised to self-isolate for 14 days.
Prior to that, Dutch Bros said the employee worked an afternoon shift on June 22 and a morning shift on June 23.
Anyone with questions or concerns for Dutch Bros can reach the company at communitywellness@dutchbros.com.
The company previously said the Maple Avenue location would undergo a “third-party deep clean” and is “coordinating with public health officials to confirm our protocols not only meet, but exceed, expectations.”
Dutch Bros said other steps it’s taken over the past few months to prevent the spread of COVID-19 include increased hand-washing and sanitizing, using a cashless payment system, implementing a mask policy aligned with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and temporarily suspending walk-ins, walk-ups and the use of personal mugs at their drive-thrus.
Not all Dutch Bros employees at the Maple Avenue location are required to quarantine for 14 days, the company said.
A Dutch Bros spokesperson said “as far as staffing, we conduct our own contact tracing and anyone with direct contact with an affected employee is asked to quarantine for 14 days.
“If an employee did not have direct contact with the positive co-worker, they are allowed by both CDC and local health guidelines to work and have the choice to do so.”
Dutch Bros employee concerns
A change.org petition circulating online is calling for better working conditions at Dutch Bros in Fresno.
A Dutch Bros employee at another Fresno location, who asked to remain anonymous due to potential job security issues, shared concerns about customers not being required to wear masks “despite the close proximity of both our ‘runners’ and the drive-thru window.”
In addition, “we are no longer receiving the option to opt out of work for our own safety,” the employee said, “and anyone who has opted out prior are now being required to return to work.”
The employee said they also never received hazard pay, but did previously get a “thank you bonus.”
This story was originally published July 3, 2020 at 5:42 PM with the headline "Dutch Bros coffee shop in Fresno closed after employee tests positive for coronavirus."
