Del Lago WARN notice goes public, company leadership says its nothing more than formality

Altogether 1,077 employees were impacted by the suspension of operation at del Lago Resort & Casino as result of the Coronavirus Pandemic.

While reports via 13WHAM-TV indicated that del Lago was in the process of laying off those employees – officials provided additional context – noting that the workers had not been working for months.

The WARN notice, which was filed more than a week ago, but was not published to the state database until this week indicated that a majority of the resort’s workers were impacted.

It’s listed as a ‘temporary plant closure’, according to the state’s Department of Labor.

“As part of New York State’s efforts to flatten the curve, del Lago Resort & Casino was ordered to close March 16. Due to the uncertain outlook combined with changes to the industry as a result of the pandemic, many of our employees have been furloughed. Pursuant to State and Federal regulations, the company will issue WARN notices to all del Lago employees that are currently furloughed,” Executive VP and GM Lance Young said ahead of the WARN notice release. “Further, for nearly 4 months, we have been doing everything in our power to responsibly reopen – prioritizing the safety of our team members and guests. Despite our very best efforts, including the development of comprehensive plans and procedures that outline how we intend to keep everyone as safe as possible in accordance with State mandates and CDC guidelines, we have not yet received information regarding when or how we will be permitted to reopen. We will continue our efforts and hope to welcome our team and guests back soon,.”

Earlier in the summer, the Seneca County Board of Supervisors called for the reopening of the casino. State officials have not responded.

After the original story was published Young released a second statement, providing additional context for those who were concerned about the future of del Lago’s operation in Tyre, New York.

“On July 13, pursuant to State and Federal regulations, del Lago issued WARN notices to all company employees that are currently furloughed. On July 24th, they were simply posted to the Department of Labor’s website,” Young said. “Nothing new occurred and the notices do not reflect termination or ‘cuts’, but are required by State and Federal governments when workers are furloughed for a certain period of time.”

He says del Lago employees and leadership look forward to reopening, and are satisfied with Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s leadership at the state-level. “We appreciate Governor Cuomo’s leadership during this time and are eager to safely open our doors and welcome back our employees and patrons,” he added.