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IKEA Donates Cost Of Its Furloughed Maryland Workers To Regional Charities
SEP 24, 2:37 PM
IKEA Donates Cost Of Its Furloughed Maryland Workers To Regional Charities
Victoria Chamberlin
IKEA furloughed around 14,000 workers nationwide at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which cost the state of Maryland over $2 million in unemployment benefits. Now the company wants to “pay it forward.”
In a letter to Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan sent late last month, IKEA USA President Javier Quiñones outlined plans from the IKEA U.S. Community Foundation to cover the state’s $2,136,346 in unemployment benefits paid when the stores in College Park and Nottingham temporarily closed.
“IKEA Retail U.S. has reopened its stores, and the Foundation, using funds contributed by IKEA Retail U.S., has decided to take the opportunity to ‘pay it forward’ and provide your state with equivalent funds,” Quiñones wrote to Hogan in the letter obtained by Maryland Matters.
The outlet reported that the initial offer to the state was intended for Hogan to use to the greatest public health benefit. U.S. Rep. David J. Trone (D-Md.) wrote a letter to Hogan Tuesday suggesting that the money be used instead to hire additional workers to process unemployment insurance benefits as the system continues to struggle to provide aid quickly.
{snip}
IKEA Donates Cost Of Its Furloughed Maryland Workers To Regional Charities
Victoria Chamberlin
IKEA furloughed around 14,000 workers nationwide at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which cost the state of Maryland over $2 million in unemployment benefits. Now the company wants to “pay it forward.”
In a letter to Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan sent late last month, IKEA USA President Javier Quiñones outlined plans from the IKEA U.S. Community Foundation to cover the state’s $2,136,346 in unemployment benefits paid when the stores in College Park and Nottingham temporarily closed.
“IKEA Retail U.S. has reopened its stores, and the Foundation, using funds contributed by IKEA Retail U.S., has decided to take the opportunity to ‘pay it forward’ and provide your state with equivalent funds,” Quiñones wrote to Hogan in the letter obtained by Maryland Matters.
The outlet reported that the initial offer to the state was intended for Hogan to use to the greatest public health benefit. U.S. Rep. David J. Trone (D-Md.) wrote a letter to Hogan Tuesday suggesting that the money be used instead to hire additional workers to process unemployment insurance benefits as the system continues to struggle to provide aid quickly.
{snip}