A manager at the Jones Street Taco Bell entered the establishment several hours after opening and ordered all employees to exit, go home, and quarantine for 14 days due to a worker testing positive for the deadly COVID-19 infection, according to employees speaking on anonymity.
Company officials could not be reached by phone this afternoon, but according to employees, their busy workday was immediately halted by the manager after he was notified of the infected employee around 1:30 p.m.
Parents of teenage workers attempted to reach the manager and company officials, but the phone just rang repeated.
RLS Media reporters visited the restaurant and confirmed that the doors were locked, lights off, and cones blocked the food drive-thru pickup.
Employees said management would not immediately confirm which employee was infected or how much interaction the worker had with customers.
The Newark Department of Health has not immediately reached out to employees regarding the matter.