Michael Hiltzik: Some employers are doing the right thing in the coronavirus crisis. Some aren't

Tip a hat to Darden Restaurants, the owner of Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse and other casual sit-down chains. The company announced last week that it had implemented a paid sick leave policy for its 190,000 employees, including a starting balance for those with at least six months of employment.

Now cast a gimlet eye in the direction of Richard Branson, whose Virgin Atlantic is asking its 10,000 employees to take eight weeks of unpaid leave over the next three months in an effort to "drastically reduce costs without job losses." (Virgin Atlantic is losing money, but Branson's net worth is more than $4 billion.)

Or Whole Foods CEO John Mackey, who last week reminded his workforce that they can "donate" their paid time off balances to co-workers facing medical emergencies. Mackey's email generated a demurral from Amazon, which acquired the grocery chain in