More than 200 workers will lose their jobs at Aramark’s National Center for Employee Development in Norman because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 40 AVIS workers in Tulsa are losing theirs too.
The uniform-supplying company notified Oklahoma’s Office of Workforce Development with the required WARN or Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act letter. The notice from Jordan Glazier, vice president of Human Resources at Aramark indicated 206 employees will be laid off effective Sept. 30 of this year.
“Aramark has experienced unprecedented disruption to our business caused by the COVID-19 global pandemic,” he stated. “The National Center for Employee Development recently announced that it does not anticipate business improving for an undefined period of time and will only need our services in a limited capacity during this intervening time-period.”
However, Glazier also indicated that Aramark anticipates an improvement in business conditions as soon as reasonably feasible depending on the evolving COVID-19 pandemic “but do not yet know when that will occur.”
Aramark is an American food service, facilities and uniform services provider to clients in education, healthcare, business, prisons and leisure.
At least 39 employees of Avis Budget in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, who are already on furlough will see their furloughs extended indefinitely, according to a WARN notice sent to the state.
David Polen, Director of Human Resources at Avis Budget explained that the workers were already on a partial or full furlough since April, May and June as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Unfortunately, the financial hardship on the Company caused by the pandemic has not improved to the degree we had hoped by this time. Therefore, the Company has made the difficult decision to extend furloughs for some employees and implement layoffs for others at this work location. Furloughs will continue until further notice. Layoffs will be permanent,” he wrote.