Coronavirus: Lowe’s announces it will close Easter Sunday

Home improvement giant Lowe's announced Tuesday its stores and distribution centers in the United States will be closed in observance of Easter Sunday, the company said in a news release.

Marvin Ellison, president and CEO of the North Carolina-based company, said the company’s workers need time off to be with their families on one of the holiest days on the Christian calendar.

"Our ability to support communities with essential goods and services during this pandemic is thanks to our outstanding, dedicated associates," Ellison said in the release." We want to provide our teams with a much-deserved day off to spend Easter Sunday with their families and loved ones and recharge. We will take steps to ensure that no hourly associate loses scheduled hours or has a reduction in pay as a result of closing on Sunday. I want to personally thank our 300,000 associates who have helped families stay safely at home. Their actions are nothing short of heroic."

Last month, Lowe's announced it was donating $10 million to help fund personal protective equipment for hospital personnel. The company also announced a $2 increase in salary for all full-time, part-time and seasonal hourly employees in April.

"We continue to listen to our associates' and customers' feedback and make necessary adjustments to help keep everyone in our stores safe during this unprecedented time," Ellison said in the release.