Multistate cannabis company Cresco Labs (CSE:CL) has committed to a hiring spree of service industry workers in Illinois, where “essential” cannabis sales have been booming in its months-old legal market.
On Monday, the stateside producer and retailer said it will be filling 250 full-time positions at its Sunnyside dispensaries. Cresco said in a statement that the hiring will focus on workers from the restaurant and hospitality industry, whose livelihoods have been ravaged by the pandemic.
In addition to augmenting its workforce, the company is also padding out the pay of its frontline staff. As part of its “essential pay” program, Cresco said employees at its cultivation sites, distribution centres and dispensaries will receive extra compensation.
Read more: Major retailers keep doors open as US lawmakers deem cannabis ‘essential’
CEO Charlie Bachtell said his company is committed to continuing operations while helping those most affected by the current economic crisis.
“During this time where the needs of patients and customers in Illinois is growing and demand continues to outpace supply, the ability for Cresco to continue to employ a robust workforce will ensure that medical patients and Illinois residents continue to have essential access to the products they rely on daily for their wellbeing,” he said in the statement.
Bachtell said his company recognizes the vital role his frontline team members play in helping patients and customers get the products they need, and the importance of making sure those staff know how essential they are to the business.
Read more: Cresco Labs to open second-only pot shop in downtown Chicago
Cresco also said it’s supporting the struggling food service industry by ordering daily lunches for its staff. To prop up local businesses, the company said it’s partnered with over 90 restaurants across eight states to deliver over 650 lunches per day.
“Many of the restaurants around our stores and facilities are locally owned, and we know their businesses are being devastated by the COVID-19 outbreak. As stewards of the communities we operate in, we saw an opportunity to support our neighbors and help combat the economic impact of the pandemic on their restaurants by placing daily orders — all while also taking care of our team members: the most important part of our organization,” Bachtell said.
“In an otherwise challenging environment, we will continue to pursue win-win-win scenarios like this.”
Top image via Cresco Labs
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