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CEO: Luxe Valet will provide paid leave to protest President Trump

Posted at 11:16 AM, Feb 02, 2017
and last updated 2017-02-02 15:28:24-05

The CEO of a San Francisco-based company is offering his employees the opportunity to protest President Trump’s executive order and get paid for it.

In an email sent to employees across the nation, Luxe Valet CEO Curtis Lee notified his employees the company would not only pay them while they protest but the company would also match donations made to the ACLU.

RELATED: READ THE ENTIRE EMAIL HERE

In the internal memo obtained by ABC15, Lee writes in part:

“If you’re like me, you’ve seen the last few days unfold with shock and disappointment over Trump’s order to restrict both the refugee program and immigration from certain Muslim-majority countries.”

Lee’s company operates personal valet services in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago and Austin according to its website.

According to the internal memo, Lee is offering salaried employees one paid day of leave to express their views such as protesting or volunteering, but they must take a selfie to prove they attended. “We will be creating organized trips in the coming days to attend protests and otherwise to express our views together,” said Lee in the email.

Lee goes on to address hourly employees such as valets and agents in the email, “We will create a vocalization shift at your nearest airport during our organized trip days so you can join us to express your views. You will get paid for this shift should you choose to participate.”

Lee explained to employees he was the son of immigrants and “the CEO of a company built and led by immigrants.”

While the employees will be paid, according to the email to protest, Lee also has also offered a company match.

“Finally we will match every employee donation to the ACLU or another organization advocating immigrant and refugee rights such as the International Refugee Assistance Project up to $100 per employee.”

ABC15 has reached out to the Luxe Valet for comment and have not yet heard back.

Lee ended the email to employees by saying, “If you’re upset or concerned I encourage you to go above and beyond what Luxe may be doing.  Write your Senators and Representatives.  Write or call the White House.  As I see it, this is not about politics or businesses, it’s about decency and compassion and supporting the core ideals upon which this Country was founded and has flourished.”

While ABC15 obtained an internal memo sent to employees, Lee has posted a similar message via Twitter.