03/18/2020

Marriott, Hilton Furlough Employees as COVID-19 Crisis Worsens

Tens of thousands impacted

As the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic continues to spread, with the World Health Organization reporting 184,976 confirmed cases and 7,529 people dead so far (3,536 cases and 58 dead in the U.S. alone), travel-related industries are hurting.

According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, Marriott International is starting to furlough what could amount to "tens of thousands of employees," from general managers to housekeepers.

A Marriott spokesperson told the paper the company had started closing some managed properties last week, sending the workers at these hotels home. (Other companies, including MGM and Disney, are doing the same.) While the hotels are closed, the employees will not receive paychecks but will continue to receive healthcare benefits—paid for by the hotel owner, the spokesperson said.

Please select this link to read the complete article from Hotel Management.