The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development on Monday released a dozen notices from employers around the state covering the layoff of 939 workers last week.
More than 500 of those employees were included in seven notices from Milwaukee-area employers. The list included hotels, restaurants, hospitality service providers and school bus companies.
The list of layoffs includes:
- Hyatt Regency Milwaukee (112 employees)
- Black Shoe Hospitality, the parent company of Maxie’s, Blue’s Egg, Story Hill BKC and Black Shoe Bakery. (155 employees)
- Eddie Martini’s (30 employees)
- Clearwing Productions (25 employees)
- Visual Impressions (41 employees)
- Mickeys Linen and Towel Supply (48 employees)
- Wisconsin Central School Bus (90 employees)
The layoff notices covered job cuts that took place last week and employers indicated they expected them to be temporary, although the companies also said they couldn’t say when employees would be brought back to work.
The jump in layoffs comes as Wisconsin has seen a sharp uptick in initial unemployment claims to nearly 70,000 as state officials put limits on business to try to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
On Tuesday morning, the department reported 21,250 initial unemployment claims were made on Monday alone, bringing the total number since March 12, the day after President Donald Trump gave an Oval Office address and the NBA suspended its season, to 103,696. There were 9,305 claims during the same period last year.
The volume of layoff notices, and a pending stay-at-home order from Gov. Tony Evers, prompted the Department of Workforce Development to begin only posting notices to its website instead of also sending them out to media members.
“We appreciate everyone’s continued cooperation as the state manages the unprecedented impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic,” said Ben Jedd, communications director for the department. “DWD staff are doing exceptional work supporting Wisconsin citizens through a very tough time in our state and nation’s history, and any action we can take to help them concentrate on critical functions during this time will only benefit the people of Wisconsin.”
