Marriott International has started to furlough hotel staff in an effort that could affect tens of thousands of employees.
A spokeswoman for the company, which employs over 174,000 associates across its managed hotels, said the workers would keep health benefits for now. The company is shuttering some hotels and needs fewer employees at the properties that remain open, she said.
“As travel restrictions and social distancing efforts around the world become more widespread, we are experiencing significant drops in demand at properties globally with an uncertain duration,” the company said in a statement. “We are adjusting global operations accordingly which has meant either reduction in hours or a temporary leave for many of our associates at our properties.”
The coronavirus outbreak is costing U.S. hotels $1.4 billion a week as it crushes demand for travel, according to data that industry executives plan to present Tuesday when they visit the White House.
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