Following enquiries from Solfed, Pizza Hut have confirmed they are no longer using workfare and do not intend to in the future. A spokeperson for Pizza Hut said “none of our restaurants currently take part in the workfare scheme, and haven't for the last six months, and we have no plans to change our hiring practices."
Five Pizza Hut restaurants had been using claimants from the work experience element of workfare but the company is keen to stress this was not national policy. In the middle of a pasta based makeover, Pizza Hut understandably wants to steer clear of association with the government scheme. With Holland & Barrett the latest in a growing number of companies to pull out, workfare is fast becoming toxic on the high street.
We welcome the statement from Pizza Hut but, as businesses such as Superdrug and Argos have shown, we can’t necessarily take their word for it. Whilst it may not be national policy, Pizza Hut has been warned by SolFed that any “rogue” branches using the scheme in future will bring unwanted attention to the company as a whole. If you or someone you know is employed by Pizza Hut, keep an eye out for any rogue employment practices and let us know.