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National book chain Barnes & Noble preemptively disclosed its plan for a forthcoming layoff strategy to employees on Tuesday, ahead of what seem like inevitable store closures due to the national economic chaos spurred by the global coronavirus pandemic.

"With the closure of stores, we are obliged to make the hardest of choices," CEO James Daunt wrote in a note to staff and obtained by VICE. "The truth is that we cannot close our doors and continue to pay our employees in the manner of Apple, Nike, Patagonia and REI. They can do this because they have the resources necessary; we, and most retailers of our sort, do not.

Daunt told his staff that, should store locations have to close their doors, staffers will "first make use of their Paid Time Off." After that, employees with a year or more of service will receive "up to" two weeks of pay. "Temporarily, and with sincere regret, on closure we lay off all those employees impacted with less than 6 months employment on the day of closure," he added. (Barnes & Noble did not immediately respond for comment.)