One Louisiana Pizza Hut Location Has Workers Allegedly Facing Scorching Situation

(KPEL News) - Louisiana is known for its high humidity and even higher temperatures, making it challenging to work in these conditions. At one Pizza Hut location, employees allege they have been battling a workplace condition that has many people baffled, according to KLFY.

People who have outside jobs in Louisiana have it bad enough trying to work in conditions that feature a blazing sun. You must take frequent breaks, ensure you are properly hydrated, and monitor each other to prevent heat exhaustion.

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The National Weather Service gives a prediction each year about what summer conditions will be like across our area. The prediction encompasses the entire nation, and for Louisiana, it's another typical summer, hot and humid, with heat indices in the 100s possible. We've already experienced those conditions this month.

But what do you do when you work in a pizza kitchen and there is allegedly no air conditioning in a place that should have it working? The employees at the Pizza Hut in Patterson are dealing with temperatures of 100 degrees in the restaurant.

Six Months Without AC: What Employees Say They're Enduring

Shakirra Ferguson says she has been working at the location for a few months and says it's blazing hot in the kitchen. She says working at the job is fast-paced, and she says there's a tremendous amount of sweating.

Why Is There No Air Conditioning In A Louisiana Pizza Hut?

It's the most obvious question, and a manager did speak with KLFY about the duration of the broken air conditioning. The story reads,

A manager who spoke with News 10 confirmed the air conditioning has been broken for about six months. It was tolerable because of the winter but now that it is the hottest time of the year it is getting to ‘minimum wage workers.’ The business needs to make $5,000 a week but they are nowhere near that amount. The manager said they are trying to fit the AC but yet nothing has been done, and it’s been a while and staff members feel like they are sitting there like “waiting ducks” and hope the fix will come soon.

Charles McKinley, president of Concerned Community Crusaders, says people in the community are concerned about the workers and the conditions related to the food.

READ MORE: LOUISIANA HEATWAVE HACKS: CREATIVE WAYS TO STAY COOL IN 2025

Workers Allegedly Vomiting From Heat in Pizza Kitchen

He went to the Pizza Hut several times, including one time when he was told several workers had to go home due to vomiting caused by extreme heat.

McKinley says that with people working in these conditions, it's not only extremely difficult for them, but he also wonders how the company can allow this to happen, considering it's a restaurant.

He makes another point about germs. Plenty of bacteria and other germs thrive in a hot environment, so what happens to people's food?

Employee Testimony: ‘You Sweat, Then Go Right Back to Work’

According to the USDA, food like pizza should be thrown out after one hour, especially in environments where the temperature exceeds 90 degrees.

Ferguson says,

You sweat a lot and then you get it all over the place. So you have to stop, clean yourself back up, get back to work, and you just keep ripping and running in a fast food restaurant mainly every day.

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