“Disney to stop paying 100,000 workers but is still on track to give shareholders $1.5 billion”, 22 April 2020

Walt Disney Co. will stop paying more than 100,000 employees this week, nearly half of its workforce…

Suspending pay for thousands of [employees] will save Disney up to $500 million a month across its theme parks and hotels, which have been shut in Europe and the U.S. for almost five weeks…

... The decision leaves Disney staff reliant on state benefits … even as the company protects executive-bonus schemes and a $1.5 billion dividend payment due in July.

Disney over the past month has raised debt and signed new credit facilities, leaving the company with about $20 billion in fresh cash to draw upon for a downturn. “They could afford” not to furlough staff, said Rich Greenfield, analyst at BTIG, The Times reported.