Universal Orlando Resort has announced that it will be reducing its workforce in the wake of the coronavirus shutdown.
The theme park reopened to the public on June 5 after closing in March as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The resort has a rigorous safety policy in place, that includes limited capacity within the parks.
However, the resort has just announced that it is reducing its Parks & Resorts workforce.
Tourism slow to bounce back
The company explains in a statement that it anticipates that the tourism industry will take time to fully recover. With no international visitors, and even inter-state travel within America remaining low, it will take time for tourism to return to pre-corona levels in Florida.
With reduced attendance the company has decided it needs to make some changes. The resort’s budgets have been adjusted, and some salary reductions and furloughs have already been put into place.
A ‘difficult decision’
However, the company feels that it needs to go further and has made “the difficult decision” to lay off some employees.
The statement reported in Click Orlando explains that “this decision was not made lightly, but was necessary to prepare us for the future.”
Universal Orlando said that, “we are aware of the impact this will have on those affected by this reduction and their families, and we are working to support them through this process.” The company will give these employees severance pay, subsidised health benefits and “professional reemployment assistance”.
Work on Universal Orlando’s newest park, Epic Universe, was paused in May to allow the company to focus on the challenges of COVID-19. The financial effects of the theme parks’ prolonged closure could be far reaching. The company reported a reduction in park revenue for Q1 2020 of 39%.
Image: Universal Orlando
