Temporary Layoffs Extended At Stamford Hotel

STAMFORD, CT — Temporary layoffs have been extended at the Marriott hotel in downtown Stamford as the city, and the state, continue to grapple with the coronavirus, according to a letter sent to the state Department of Labor. Nearly 100 employees will be affected.

In the letter, which was received by the department Monday, Marriott's senior vice president of human resources, Abigail Clarke, noted the layoffs initially occurred in March and April, however hotel officials initially thought the employees would be reinstated sooner.

"At the time of those layoffs, we were hopeful that this interruption to our business would only last for a short period of time," Clarke said in the letter. "However, in light of recent events, we no longer feel that we are able to predict how long it will be before the hotel is able to return to normal operations."

Clarke said the hotel, located on Tresser Boulevard, "might be forced to extend employee layoffs beyond six months," however they are still not expected to be permanent. (To sign up for Stamford breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

Stamford Economic Development Director Thomas Madden confirmed the hotel was extending the layoffs out for a few more months based on the reasons provided in the letter. He also noted room rentals in Stamford have risen since March, however they are "not close" to the levels seen prior to the spread of the coronavirus, also referred to as COVID-19.

The labor department's website indicates 99 workers would be affected by the extended layoffs. Affected employees include bellmen, cooks, front desk clerks, housekeepers, sales managers and gift shop attendants, among other positions.

Clarke also said Connecticut's reopening plan has "placed severe restrictions on Stamford Marriott's ability to function normally," noting the state's limit on the number of individuals allowed to gather in any one place has "essentially [barred]" the hotel from hosting weddings, business functions and other types of receptions.

Many employees are also continuing to work remotely and avoid business travel, Clarke said.

Clarke also referenced the impact of the state's travel ban, which forces travelers from "a majority of the country" to go into quarantine for 14 days after arriving in the state. As of Aug. 4, 35 locations are included in Connecticut's travel advisory.

"It does not appear that these circumstances, which all significantly impact the hotel's business, will be changing any time soon," Clarke said. "Therefore, it is now clear that Stamford Marriott will continue to operate at only a partial functionality for the foreseeable future."

See also: Store Closing Signs Up At Fairway Market In Stamford

Back in March, the Sheraton Stamford Hotel informed the department 103 employees had been temporarily laid off due to the hotel suffering "an enormous loss of business" as a result of the virus.

COVID-19 is caused by a member of the coronavirus family that's a close cousin to the SARS and MERS viruses that have caused outbreaks in the past.