The Oneida Nation regretfully has noticed 1,962 employees that their positions are being placed in layoff or furlough status, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The Nation entered Tier V of their economic budget restrictions and this tier calls for the reduction of staff in all non-critical positions. 827 critical employees remain.
The Oneida Nation understands the burden this action may place on our community, and the impact this may have on Northeast Wisconsin’s economy; the decision was extremely difficult. The Oneida Nation values our employees and whether our employee was with us for 40 years, or with us for a day, we want our employees to know the Oneida Nation truly appreciates them. We have maintained our valued employees through this pandemic as long as possible; however, with the great loss in revenue due to the casinos closing to the public, we can no longer afford the weekly payroll of $2.4 million.
The Oneida Nation must ensure programs and services that support health, safety and infrastructure must be carefully planned to sustain these services as long as possible. In addition, and in compliance with the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, the Nation must maintain a level of gaming employees, even when our gaming operations are closed to the public.
The Nation’s government consists of critical areas of employment which include the nursing home, comprehensive health services, emergency management, security/surveillance, childcare/daycare, management information services, public works, police force services, retail locations, and school system. Recall of employees in impacted areas will be completed in a manner sustainable to the long-term success of the Nation and the community.
The Nation also strongly advocates for individuals to continue doing their part to flatten the curve; we should continue our collective efforts to honor social distancing requirements and practice good hygiene as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control. If we all do our part, the Oneida Nation, the State of Wisconsin, and the United States will be one step closer to opening to the public.
