WWE isn’t an “essential business” to at least one of its employees.
During a Tuesday meeting of the Orange County Board of County Commissioners in Florida, one member read a statement submitted by an anonymous WWE employee named “John,” who alleges he is being “forced to work” the company’s TV tapings amid COVID-19 stay-at-home orders and requests that the government suspend WWE’s unsafe operation. The person said that though the company is limiting the number of employees at each taping (without fans) and taking sanitary precautions, the nature of the business inherently requires individuals to touch each other and flout social distancing recommendations. The person said he is worried he will lose his job — dozens of WWE employees were fired and furloughed last week, with the company citing financial hardships caused by the pandemic — if he shares his concerns with his bosses.
“These accusations aren’t true,” WWE said in a statement. “Employees know they can confidentially go to Human Resources, not the public. Notwithstanding the appropriate protocol, no one would be fired if they were uncomfortable with their surroundings. We’ve made accommodations for individuals upon request.”
Initially, WWE wasn’t declared an essential business, but Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis changed the designation on April 9, giving professional wrestling the same status as grocery stores and pharmacies because of its entertainment value.
“People are chomping at the bit. If you think about it, we have never had a period like this in modern American history where you’ve had so little new content, particularly in the sporting realm. I mean, we are watching reruns from like the early 2000s,” DeSantis said. “People are starved for content. We haven’t had a lot of new content since the beginning of March.”
According to Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, WWE was permitted to resume tapings at its Orlando training facility after DeSantis’ office spoke with WWE CEO Vince McMahon.
President Trump has a decades-long relationship with McMahon and his wife, Linda, who previously served Trump in the Small Business Administration and now chairs the pro-Trump America First Action super PAC, which announced it will spend $18.5 million on advertising in Florida on the same day DeSantis changed WWE’s designation to an essential business.
“With some conversation with the governor’s office regarding the governor’s order, they were deemed an essential business,” Demings said. “And so, therefore, they were allowed to remain open.”
WWE has confirmed that at least one on-air talent has contracted COVID-19.