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Dr. Phillips Center furloughs 50% of events staff amid COVID-19 pandemic

Furloughs begin June 1

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Half of the full-time employees and part-time workers who help with shows and events at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts will be furloughed, the center said in a statement on Thursday.

The Orlando Sentinel first reported the news Thursday afternoon, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer also made a note of it during a press conference Thursday evening.

“We recognize companies all over the world have had to face tough decisions—many much earlier in the process—in order to ensure their organizations’ long-term viability and we are grateful to have received one of the first loans provided for in the CARES Act, which gave us the ability to compensate all our part-time and full-time staff throughout the past 11 weeks, from March 13 through May 31,” Dr. Phillips Center said in a statement.

The furloughs start on Monday. Anyone impacted by the furloughs will continue to receive health, dental and vision benefits, according to the Dr. Phillips Center.

“We have elected to pay both employer and employee deductions during the furlough to ensure they and their families remain covered,” art center leaders wrote in a statement.

DPAC officials said they are providing resources to help furloughed staff.

“We are actively engaged in discussions with local, state and industry leaders to determine how venues like ours fit into our region’s reopening strategy. We are committed to opening as swiftly and as safely as we can, when artists and shows begin to tour again and when our guests feel comfortable coming back to the arts center,” a statement read.


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