• McDonald's is facing fresh scrutiny over sexual harassment claims in its UK restaurants.
• Hundreds of workers are taking legal action against the chain, a law firm said this week.
• McDonald's says ensuring staff are safe at work is its "most important responsibility."

Hundreds of McDonald's workers in the UK are taking legal action over claims of workplace bullying and harassment.

Law firm Leigh Day said this week that over 700 people who work at or have previously worked at 450 different McDonald's locations across the UK have joined the proceedings.

All the workers were 19 or under when working at McDonald's, Leigh Day says.

News of the legal action comes as the BBC published fresh claims of workplace harassment at the fast-food giant, around 18 months after a major investigation into the working culture at the Golden Arches.

The BBC investigation, published in July 2023, revealed that over 100 workers at a number of the Golden Arches locations had spoken of experiencing sexual assault, harassment, racism, or bullying. Since that investigation, 160 more people have approached the BBC with allegations, it reported on Tuesday.

The BBC's latest report on harassment and abuse at the fast-food behemoth comes over a year after its UK boss pledged to take action to improve working conditions.

Starting in February 2023, after the fast food chain signed an agreement with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) promising to protect its staff from sexual harassment, the BBC spoke to staff about the working environment at McDonald's.

Of the over 100 allegations the BBC heard prior to publishing its initial 2023 investigation, 31 involved sexual assault, 78 involved sexual harassment, 18 were related to racism, and 6 were related to homophobia.

Alistair Macrow, the CEO of McDonald's UK and Ireland, told Members of Parliament in November 2023 that the company had received 407 complaints from employees since that July. He said it was taking steps to better protect staff.

Since the BBC's initial investigation in July 2023, 300 reports alleging harassment at the chain have been made to the EHRC.

"Ensuring the 168,000 people that work in McDonald's restaurants are safe is the most important responsibility for both us and our franchisees," McDonald's said in a statement sent to Business Insider.

"We have undertaken extensive work over the last year to ensure we have industry leading practices in place to support this priority. Any incident of misconduct and harassment is unacceptable and subject to rapid and thorough investigation and action."

Macrow, the UK McDonald's boss, said that 29 people have been fired over incidents involving sexual harassment in the past year.

The BBC heard that one woman said her shift manager, who was in his 30s, asked for sex in exchange for extra shifts when she was a 17-year-old employee. Another female staff member, who was 20 at the time, said her male manager sent her topless photos. A 19-year-old employee alleged he was bullied for having a learning disability and an eye condition, per the BBC.

McDonald's rolls back some DEI efforts

News of fresh claims of staff harassment in the UK comes in the same week that McDonald's announced plans to scale back its diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

McDonald's said in a statement on Monday that it will stop "setting aspirational representation goals," pause participating in external surveys, no longer require its supply chain to commit to its DEI pledge and change the name of its diversity team to the Global Inclusion Team.

A growing backlash against DEI strategies has seen companies such as Nissan, Walmart, and Harley-Davidson scale back or cut programs altogether.

Much of the criticism has come from high-profile figures like Elon Musk and conservative activist Robby Starbuck, who have labeled such initiatives as "woke."

• Hoda Kotb, 60, says she was body-shamed by a former boss when she was younger.
• "He goes, 'Hey, I got an idea. Maybe you might want to try to get on the treadmill,'" Kotb said, recalling his words.
• In the US, there are no federal laws that prohibit weight discrimination.

Hoda Kotb, 60, says she was body-shamed by her former boss.

During Monday's episode of "Today with Hoda and Jenna," Kotb recalled how her former boss had made comments about her weight when she was younger.

"I still remember I had just started working in a small market. And I played basketball in high school, so I always assumed I was in shape even though, literally, after college and stuff, I wasn't," Kotb told her cohost, Jenna Bush Hager.

"I still remember my boss going to me, 'Hey, Hoda,' and I was like, 'Yeah?' He goes, 'Hey, I got an idea. Maybe you might want to try to get on the treadmill,'" Kotb said, recalling his words.

Kotb says she was shocked by his comment because she didn't see herself that way.

"You know when you have a perception of yourself that is not the perception of the world?" Kotb said. "Yeah, so I was like, 'What are you talking about?'"

She went on to explain that "if you don't fit," people will "want you to wear something a certain way, cut your hair a certain way, speak a certain way."

But when people pretend to be someone they're not, they'll start losing who they really are, Kotb said, adding that there are times when people do have to "do things to fit into a work environment."

Kotb's comment came about during a discussion on the show about Timothée Chalamet and how he recently shared that he was told to change his body type early in his career to land bigger roles.

A 2023 survey by the Society for Human Resource Management found that almost 72% of US workers who have experienced unfair treatment at work due to their weight say it made them feel like quitting their jobs. Additionally, 11% of HR professionals surveyed say obese employees at their organization are not always treated as fairly as average-weight employees.

There are no federal laws that prohibit weight discrimination, although some cities in the US — such as San Francisco and Washington DC — have passed local laws banning weight discrimination. In 2023, New York City passed a law making weight discrimination illegal.

Michigan was the first state to pass a law that prevents weight discrimination.

Emily Capelli, a psychotherapist, previously told Business Insider that it can be helpful to speak up against weight stigma.

"You can say, just simply, 'That feels fatphobic,' or 'That hurts my feelings'," Capelli suggests. "This falls under setting boundaries with people, and I think it's helpful to say that setting boundaries is a skill. Like riding a bike, you can work on this skill."

There are also ways to change the subject or shut down the conversation if the topic comes up, she said: "It's perfectly OK to walk away."

A representative for Kotb did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by Business Insider outside regular hours.