Question of the Day 2020-05-05

Can we get a scorecard of which casinos are paying their employees during the shutdown and which have just kicked the employees out to the curb? Because when this is over and Vegas returns, I want to know where I should spending my hard earned gambling money. (But I won't play 6-5 blackjack or triple zero roulette; I'll still have some standards ...)

Good question. We've been following these developments (and posting them as they occur in Vegas News) for exactly the same reason.

Here's your scorecard as of today.

The three best casino-company employee policies for the shutdown are Venetian, Wynn, and Stations, none of which, by the way, charges for parking (the Venetian never has, though it did deal triple-zero roulette; we'll see if that survives the pandemic).

The Venetian's parent corporation, Las Vegas Sands, is paying its 10,000 employees "throughout the shutdown, with no layoffs or furloughs." That's one claim we've seen; the other is through May 17, but that was when the casinos were expected to open in mid-May. Sands is also going the extra many miles by paying around 1,200 workers at 14 restaurants who aren't direct employees. The casino company will cover the partner restaurants' payrolls during the shutdown for salaried employees and distribute a weekly stipend for hourly and part-time employees.

Wynn Resorts was the first to announce that it would pay its employees and retain their benefits for 30 days while the casinos were closed and that the salaries of company executives would be cut by 33% to 100% to help defray the cost of issuing paychecks to the rank and file. It extended that time period once through May 15, totaling 60 days of paid leave; for tip positions, their pay includes average tips since the beginning of the year.

Station Casinos extended pay and benefits through May 15 after committing to paying through April 30. Then, when the shutdown was extended at least through May 15, Station announced that it would lay off an undisclosed number of employees on May 16. Medical, dental, and vision benefits will be extended until Sept. 30. Employees who are not laid off will continue to receive regular pay and benefits through at least May 31.

The Cosmopolitan paid through April 16, then laid off most of its workers, though it's picking up health insurance payments through June 30.

Silverton paid through April 13, then laid off all its workers.

Boyd Gaming paid staffers through April 10, then furloughed most of its hourly employees nationwide, though it will continue to pay furloughed employees' health insurance premiums through June 30 or when they return to work, whichever comes first.

Caesars committed to two weeks of pay, then laid off nearly all of the employees at its 36 U.S. venues, as well as its administrative offices. Employees are using their available paid time off and the company is paying the health insurance premiums for furloughed employees through June 30 or the day they resume working, whichever comes first. Caesars has, however, launched an employee assistance program funded by donations from the company’s executives and board of directors. Employees facing "unusual hardships" caused by the shutdown can apply for extra help.

MGM Resorts is similar. It originally announced two weeks of pay for full- and part-time employees, which ended on April 2; on that day, 60,000 of its 69,000 employees in the U.S. were furloughed. The company has an Employee Emergency Grant Fund, which has climbed to $12.5 million (thanks in part to contributions from executives and MGM entertainers), has received applications from more than 3,000 employees, and has distributed more money in April alone than what it normally does in an entire year.

You can safely assume that the rest of the casinos laid off all its employees immediately without pay. Notable among those is Treasure Island, owned by Phil Ruffin, whose net worth is $3.2 billion. He told Forbes.com that he has "enough cash to keep my casinos closed for 20 years."

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Comments

Jackie May-05-2020

We've all heard of "Stupid is as Stupid does"

But this is "asshole is as asshole does".  I can understand Caesars actions being borderline bankrupt and merely trying to survive but Ruffin might as well sell off all of his casinos being the aforementioned asshole. Nothing is as stupid as cutting your own throat with arrogant comments.

[email protected] May-05-2020

Ruffin

This is not surprising when we consider who is Ruffin's good friend.

[email protected] May-05-2020

Phil Ruffin

If Phil Ruffin has "enough cash to stay closed for twenty years", he can spend some of that to help the employees who made that money for him.  If he does not do this he may not have enough employees left to staff the joint and may very well need that money to survive. May he become the Forgotten Man of Las Vegas.

thebeachbum May-05-2020

I Wonder

I wonder if CET, i.e. Harrah's, kept their casino hosts on payroll.  Mine just booked an offer for me for my June 9th trip.  So, I do hope Vegas is open soon.

Dave May-05-2020

Scorecard

Heather from Vegas Aces wrote an article and did an in-depth analysis of what many casinos are doing to/for their employees. It is backed up with letters that were submitted to her by many of the affected employees. 

https://www.vegas-aces.com/site/articles/in-depth-casino-closures.html

KRock S May-05-2020

What an A-hole

I used to prefer TI at that end of the strip because they didn't charge for parking. Now forget it, there are casinos that have free parking and take better care of their employees. Ruffin is just another monkey in the trump tree.

Emmanuel Asprakis May-05-2020

Ruffin

Don’t have to feel guilty for using free valet (tipping drivers of course) at TI and going elsewhere.

rokgpsman May-05-2020

Phil Ruffin

Wow - Phil Ruffin's comment sure makes him look like an arrogant and insensitive 85 year old jackass. Besides owning the TI he is also a partner and co-owner of the Trump hotel in Las Vegas. According to wikipedia Ruffin actually lives in Las Vegas, so he should be well-aware of the local situation and how saying stuff like that can come back to haunt you or your casino down the road.

dpanagrosso May-05-2020

Way to go, Venetian

I will definitely be spending my future Vegas money at the Venetian.   And I'm done with TI and Ruffin, a previous favorite that just dropped off my list.

Adam Cohen May-05-2020

What about

Trying to get info on the El Cortez and the Grand. I know they are smaller properties and might not have the bankroll to keep it all going. But they are places I stay and play at. I was wondering what is happening to the people there that took care of me.

Bob Dancer May-05-2020

South Point should have been listed

According to Heather from Vegas Aces, until May 2, the South Point paid all employees 80% of their wages and extended company paid health insurance until July 31. On May 3, South Point employees were furloughed, but kept their insurance.

That's certainly not the best reaction, but it is a far cry from the first sentence of your last paragraph, " 
You can safely assume that the rest of the casinos laid off all its employees immediately without pay."

Jon Anderson May-05-2020

keeping score

phil ruffin...shameful and classless...payback can be a bitch but when one reaches a certain age, payback IS a bitch...
missing what was, is and will be vegas baby...peace

Bobby White May-05-2020

Arrogant

Not taking care of your employees is arrogant & stupid, I hope the blue collar & customer service employees make the CEOs & suits suffer in the future, prancing around in their expensive clothes, jerks. I have been retired 16 years, but went to the wall for all employees, several times telling board of directors you do not talk bad about or mess with our employees. My heart goes out & tears in my eyes for all of the fantastic, hard working people

rokgpsman May-05-2020

Circus Circus

Phil Ruffin also owns Circus Circus, the AdventureDome, and Slots-A-Fun, bought them a few months ago in Dec 2019 from MGM.

Kevin Lewis May-05-2020

Who to patronize

I hope LVA continues to provide us with this info so we know which casino companies to never give another penny to, ever again.

LVChristine May-05-2020

CET & PTO

CET wants employees to use PTO instead of paying them? Then they're supposed to go until next year to get any time off? It's not like they are using this time to go vacation. They don't want to pay them? Fine - but to ask them to give up their hard earned vacation time so they don't have to pay unemployment? smh

Reeko May-06-2020

Ruffin and Trump

I betvall who made negative comments about Ruffin/Trump would not have mentioned their relationship if Ruffin was paying his employees. Only bring up Trump when its negative

KRock S May-06-2020

RE: Reeko comment

You seemed to think that Trump was being linked to Ruffin to make Trump look bad. My comments were actually made from the opposite direction. I already had a very very very low opinion of Trump. To link Ruffin to him was my way of saying I now have a very very very low opinion of Ruffin.  I didn't mention Adelson, who's a big-time Republican but takes care of his people and lets visitors park for free. I think he supports Trump for that reason  only, not because he crawled up one of Trump's orifices like some people . . .

Question of the Day - 05 May 2020

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