'Mass Layoff' At Enterprise In Stratford

STRATFORD, CT — Car rental giant Enterprise Holdings Inc. has announced plans to lay off nearly 80 employees in Stratford due to the fallout of the new coronavirus outbreak.

A total of 77 workers are expected to lose their jobs within two weeks of April 30 at the company’s location at 1400 Stratford Road, near Sikorsky Memorial Airport, according to a letter from an Enterprise official to the Connecticut Department of Labor. The letter referred to the move as a “mass layoff” and said the cuts will likely be permanent.

“As a result of a series of unforeseen local governmental shutdown orders and federal and CDC guidance recommending social distancing surrounding the coronavirus natural disaster, Enterprise Holdings ('Enterprise') experienced a dramatic downturn in business,” said the letter from Gina Hernandez, of Enterprise.

The affected workers include 68 drivers, five lot attendants and four other employees. St. Louis-based Enterprise Holdings Inc. owns Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car. The company did not immediately respond Tuesday to an email seeking additional information.

The same week Enterprise notified the government of the layoffs, the Hilton hotel of Stamford disclosed it had furloughed 151 employees in March and the Marriott Hotel Harford in Farmington reported it had laid off 130 workers, also in March, but that it expected the layoffs to be temporary.

Officials have urged people to stay home during the outbreak, warning against discretionary travel as the virus has spread in recent months. Non-essential businesses have closed, although the reopening process is expected to begin May 20 in Connecticut. More than 400,000 state residents filed for unemployment benefits between mid March and late April.

According to the most recent state data, there are over 30,000 confirmed virus cases across Connecticut and more than 2,600 patients in the state have died after contracting the illness.