In an internal memo obtained by Business Insider, Michaels told employees that stores will remain open in order to be "here for the makers" during the coronavirus outbreak.

Though stores in select states have been mandated to close due to policies enacted by local officials, hundreds of Michaels stores currently remain in operation due to the company's claim that its employees are an "essential workforce."

"I am so worried for my coworkers," a Michaels manager speaking on the condition of anonymity told Business Insider. "If I get sick I will likely recover without incident. My coworkers and other vulnerable people could die. We are expendable. Just a means to make money."

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In a ploy to remain open during the coronavirus outbreak, Michaels is telling employees and state officials they are an "essential workforce" that is "here for the makers."

In a memo sent to Michaels employees on March 19 and obtained by Business Insider, outgoing CEO Mark Cosby and incoming CEO Ashley Buchanan wrote that stores will stay open and deemed its employees "essential" during the pandemic. The executives wrote that its stores are "fundamental" to serving business owners, teachers, parents, and communities "looking to take their minds off a stressful reality."

Though the definition of essential versus nonessential varies depending on state, craft stores are not on the list of businesses universally considered to be essential, nor are they included in a guidance issued by the Department of Homeland Security.

In response to individual state mandates, Michaels has been forced to close stores in California, Delaware, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Mexico, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, as well as select locations in Canada and in the cities of Miami and Fort Worth. Still, this leaves hundreds of Michaels stores remaining in operation across the US.

"For the stores that remain open, we are sanitizing heavily trafficked and hard surfaces frequently and encouraging social distancing," a Michaels spokesperson said in a statement to Business Insider. "We strongly encourage our Team Members that are not comfortable working in our stores or facilities to speak to their managers about their options."

However, according to a Michaels manager in the Midwest — who spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect her job and whose employment status was confirmed by Business Insider — employees at her store have not been provided with adequate protections like hand sanitizer and that cleaning supplies "are scarce."

"I am asked on a daily basis by customers why we are still open," she told Business Insider in an email. "We ask ourselves the same thing. We clearly aren't important to our CEO. He is putting his hardworking employees and customers are risk. "

The employee said many of her colleagues skew older and some have underlying health conditions that make them especially vulnerable to contracting the coronavirus, but they continue to work out of fear of losing their jobs.

"I am so worried for my coworkers," she said. "If I get sick I will likely recover without incident. My coworkers and other vulnerable people could die. We are expendable. Just a means to make money."

You can read the full memo — along with additional details about how Michaels is justifying staying open and not providing sick leave pay to its employees — here.