LAS VEGAS, NV (KXNT) - The South Point Hotel and Casino has become the latest hotel to announce a mass furlough of employees due to the closurues mandated to slow the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus).
Officials with the casino announced Monday that the furlough of most of the employees would begin on May 3rd. Health benefits would continue to be covered through the end of July.
The South Point didn't say when the furloughs would be lifted, calling them "indefinite". The following statement was e-mailed to KXNT Tuesday morning from South Point:
“The employees of South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa employees are extremely important to us and we have been doing everything we can to assist them during this difficult period. As a result, of the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resort closure mandate through April 30, 2020 by Governor Sisolak, we have had to make a very difficult decision to furlough most of our employees for an indefinite period beginning on May 3, 2020.
South Point will maintain workers’ health benefits through July 31, 2020 and will cover health payroll insurance deductions through that time as well. Once the property reopens, workers will be brought back based on demand.”
Some employees were given the option to continue working, but casino owner Michael Gaughan encouraged employees to file for unemployment, saying they could get more money that way than continuing to be on the South Point payroll.
Last month, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak ordered all casinos and other non-essential businesses to close in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus. That order ends April 30th. Sisolak has yet to lay out plans for what will happen once May comes around. He's expected to that sometime this week.