LOS ANGELES - Irvine-based Taco Bell Corp. announced Thursday that the company, together with its franchisees and licensees, plans to hire at least 30,000 employees this summer while continuing to adhere to strict safety measures to protect its restaurant teams against the coronavirus.
Hiring is planned for existing positions at all levels, as well as new roles that have been created to reflect the recent shift in operations stemming from the pandemic, company officials said.
The newly-created positions "are intended to keep the drive-thru running smoothly, to manage delivery, curb-side pickup and mobile app orders, and to maintain industry-leading sanitation and cleanliness practices,'' according to a company statement.
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"Since COVID-19 became a reality, we have continued our commitment to putting our people first,'' said Kelly McCulloch, whose title is chief people officer at Taco Bell. "We work closely with our franchisees to ensure that we're meeting the needs of our restaurant teams. Their safety and wellbeing remain our first priority. With this new hiring wave, we look forward to expanding our Taco Bell family and providing great, safe jobs to even more people.''
Taco Bell previously instituted various safety measures, including temperature checks, contactless service and mask and glove requirements.
"The brand is complying with safety standards by adopting best practices for hiring, such as introducing virtual and curbside interviews,'' the company statement says. "Taco Bell will continue to consider what is best for team member safety as states begin to re-open, but this new hiring push will position restaurants to be staffed and ready when the times comes.''
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"During these tough times, we want job-seekers to know that we're hiring and we're safe,'' McCulloch said. "Whether you've worked with us before, find yourself looking for a new opportunity or are looking for your first job, we're here for you and can provide great career opportunities -- even if it's just to help get you back on your feet. In partnership with our franchisees, we hope that we can use our footprint and be a part of the solution to help kickstart the workforce.''
Information about careers at Taco Bell can be found here: https://www.tacobell.com/careers.