Just a few days after the announcement of the indefinite closure of Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, Universal’s Aventura Hotel, Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, and Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites, more devastating news is coming from Universal Orlando Resort as over 1,000 jobs are to be cut from a number of hotels, including some which aren’t even closing.
According to Richard Bilbao of the Orlando Business Journal, four WARN Act notices have been filed by Universal Orlando Resort and Loews Hotels within the state of Florida for 1,015 jobs at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Universal’s Hard Rock Hotel, and Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort, plus a support facility. Lowes Hotels has issued the following statement to OBJ:
Unfortunately, the global pandemic surrounding Covid-19 has forced [Loews] to make some difficult decisions as it relates to our workforce. Team Members are the backbone of our company and rest assured, these measures were not taken lightly.
The WARN Act requires most employers with 100 or more employees to provide 60 calendar-day advance notification of plant closings and mass layoffs of employees. Given the extremely low occupancy rates at Universal Orlando Resort hotels, it seems the cuts were inevitable as a result of the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on travel and tourism.
We’ll continue to update this post as further information becomes available, and our hearts go out to all Team Members affected by the layoffs.
This is extremely sad. This pandemic has really devastated some lives. I pray for everyone that has been affected.
We were going to stay last month for a week thinking that prices were going to be discounted but there really weren’t any big discounts.
It isn’t COVID causing the devastation. It’s Governors orders and our sheepish willingness to comply.