CHICAGO — Cushman & Wakefield has launched a global employee assistance fund, part of a $5 million commitment to employee assistance programs for those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The fund has two components to provide financial relief to employees. The immediate relief fund addresses an immediate need by quickly disbursing up to $250 to eligible impacted employees who submit a request. The disaster and hardship fund is a larger payout for those more significantly impacted by the crisis.
As part of this commitment to supporting front-line employees, members of Cushman & Wakefield’s global management team will voluntarily forgo a portion of their salaries. Effective April 20, CEO Brett White will forgo 25 percent of his base salary, while CFO Duncan Palmer and COO Michelle MacKay will forgo 20 percent of their base salaries. Effective May 1, President John Forrester will forgo 20 percent of his base salary until December 31, or earlier if determined by the board of directors. In addition, all of the firm’s 53,000 employees have been given the opportunity to make a charitable donation to the employee fund.
“We have a responsibility to care for our employees with the same level of dedication that they’re showing our clients right now,” says White. “Thousands of our janitors, tradespeople and building managers leave the safety of their homes each day to ensure that essential buildings are clean, safe and operational during this pandemic.”
Chicago-based Cushman & Wakefield had revenue of $8.8 billion in 2019. It operates 400 offices across 60 countries.