Marriott blames COVID-19 impact for layoffs

-business ‘profoundly impacted’ says senior director

The detrimental impact of COVID-19 is being proffered as the reason behind the Guyana Marriott Hotel’s recent termination of 37 employees from various departments.

Senior Director of Public Relations for the Caribbean and Latin America, Kerstin Sachi cited the impact of COVID-19 as the reason for the layoffs.

In her one-line response to enquiries, Sachi said: “Business levels have been profoundly impacted by the pandemic, and continue to determine hotel operational and staffing adjustments.”

Since the pandemic, the hotel has been operating at a limited capacity mainly catering to guests employed in the oil & gas sector.

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the accommodation and tourism industry due to travel restrictions imposed at a national level.

In addition, major events and social gatherings which are hosted at the hotel have also been cancelled in a bid to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton on Thursday confirmed to this newspaper that the international hotel chain had informed the Chief Labour Officer Charles Ogle of its plan to make 37 employees redundant. The ministry was informed on August 24.

A dismissal letter signed by Director of Human Resources, Rafael Marcolan was circulated on social media on Thursday.

Employees were informed that they will be paid their full month’s salary for September and their dismissal is effective from October 1, 2020.

In addition, the severed employees were also informed that they will receive a statutory redundancy payment in keeping with Section 21 of the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act.