Del Lago Resort and Casino is facing complicated times in the upcoming weeks, as the lockdown is still in progress when it comes to in-person gambling in New York State. Upwards of 1,700 individuals are going to be laid off in Seneca County following weeks of no commercial casino operation in the region.
The management recently confirmed that those casino staff members will be rehired once casino operation returns. New York State has to give its nod to in-person casino gaming in commercial casinos which would make it possible for del Lago Resort and Casino to greenlight its operation with all the safety measures required by the state and the casino. A WARN notice was field earlier this month.
WARN Notice
The recently revealed suspension is expected to directly affect as many as 1,077 casino staff membersĀ associated with del Lago Resort and Casino. Those individuals have not been able to make it to their workplace and work for more than four months. Mid-March, the casino location had to close for business indefinitely and projections regarding its reopening could not be made. Social distancing mandated this move.
The layoffs commenced in April because of this lockdown situation and six months are going to come to an end in the upcoming weeks. This is why the casino resort management field a WARN notice with the New York State. The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act mandates that this happens, in order to protect all workers and give them a heads up in similar situations. The employer has to respect the 60-day advance notification.
Individuals have to receive a warning about their layoffs nearly two months ahead of the actual date and this is especially true for plant closings and mass layoffs such as the current one. Upstate New York commercial casinos have also made that point over the past weeks and the overall number of people laid off could reach 5,000.
Tribal Venues Work
Mid-June saw the official relaunch of many Native American casino locations across the state. Native American tribes collaborate with the state thanks to their own compacts regulating the gambling operation and they have the freedom to relaunch in-person gaming sooner than commercial venues. They are overseen by Seneca Nation of Indians and Oneida Indian Nation.
Meanwhile, commercial casino locations, racinos, and gambling halls have remained closed and anticipating the permission of the government. The Department of Labor pointed out that the WARN notice listed the layoffs as ātemporary plant closureā. Executive Vice-President and General Manager Lance Young pointed out that the furloughed individuals will have to be laid off, but they will be rehired once again when in-person gambling at commercial casinos is permitted.
In the meantime, del Lago Resort and Casino is preparing for the eventual reopening of the casino floor, introducing various safety measures. They aim to protect both the staff members working on a daily basis and the patrons making their way there. This would make the venue ready for the official go time announced by the government.
