More Than 2,000 Food Service Workers At Chase, Oracle Park Laid Off Due To Pandemic
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- Thousands of workers who sell food to the fans at Chase Center and Oracle Park are out of a job, due to the pandemic.
Bon Appétit, which employs 2,154 food-service workers, sent them an email saying their furlough status ends Wednesday, and they are officially terminated. Now, employees who have been receiving financial relief through San Francisco's Public Health Emergency Leave Ordinance (PHELO), can apply for unemployment benefits.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Bon Appétit laid off the workers to stay in compliance with a myriad of federal, state and local regulations in effect due to the pandemic. With the exception of modest one-time assistance checks, the workers have not been paid since the shutdown began March 23.
"The big issue is unemployment. We don't want to jeopardize their unemployment entitlements," said CEO and co-founder Fedele Bauccio.
Before the layoffs, the workers would have been guaranteed jobs when Chase and Oracle reopened. Now, Oracle has a year to recall workers and Chase has 2 years, after which point, guaranteed re-employment ends.
In the statement, Bon Appétit said it looks forward "to a time when venues reopen and hope to rehire many of our former employees as service levels return to normal."