Oklahoma’s Office of Workforce Services is a busy place these days in light of what the COVID-19 pandemic is doing to the world’s economies.
In addition to the thousands of jobs lost in Oklahoma’s oil and gas industry—the most recent being the closure of a well-drilling manufacturing plant in Enid, companies that rely on the energy industry are reporting more layoffs.
One of the those reporting more layoffs is the Skirvin Hilton,the historic hotel in downtown Oklahoma City. It has been the site of numerous oil and gas-related conferences in the past few years.
At least 80 workers were let go at the end of July, according to a WARN notice sent to the state agency in June by Marcus Hotels & resorts, LLC, manager of the Skirvin hotel.
“Our hope was to return all remaining staff to work by the end of the summer, “wrote Beatrice Silva, Director of Human Resources in a letter to the Workforce Development Office. “Unfortunately, the Coronavirus pandemic has continued to negatively impact our ability to maintain normal business levels.”
As a result, three more hourly workers and one additional management associate will be put on permanent layoff on August 31.
But on Wednesday, the Bar S meat manufacturing plant in Elk City announced it would be closing. Parent company, Sigma said the closing will be permanent.
The company informed the state that it expects the actual number to be laid off will be more than 50, although some transfer opportunities to other Bar-S facilities will be offered to some of the employees.
The closing and layoffs will happen on Sept. 30, 2020.