COVID-19 Causes IGT To Furlough On Thousands Of US Employees

• IGT implements furlough to implement temporary furlough in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
• In all US markets, the technology company will send employees home for eight weeks.
• The furlough will begin on April 6.

UNITED KINGDOM – International Gaming Technology PLC (IGT) has announced the implementation of a temporary furlough to all North American markets in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The furlough goes into effect April 6 and will last eight weeks.

In addition, IGT senior staff have agreed to a base salary reduction as well. All North American employees will continue to get welfare and health benefits during the temporary furlough.

The goal for IGT is to make sure all employees’ health and well-being are intact. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused businesses to shut down or suspend operations globally.

IGT Shut Downs

Approximately 2,300 employees will undergo the eight-week furlough. IGT North American Global Solutions Chairman Robert Vincent expressed that the top priority is their employees during this hard time.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on many of IGT’s customers and markets we serve,” said Vincent in an official statement. “Our priority is to protect the health of people, while we take responsible actions to serve our customers and stakeholders. We are taking specific actions to bring our operations in line with customer and player demand. These include base salary reductions for senior leaders and the implementation of short-term furlough programs for certain employee groups. We will continue to work diligently to support the welfare of our people with a focus on our industry’s short-term sustainability and longer-term success.”

This stalls the momentum IGT hosted earlier in the year when they secured a deal with West Virginia to bring sports betting to their casinos.

Now as the nation sits in limbo as we await the coronavirus pandemic, IGT is forced to with on their hands.

With sports shutting down in mass, legal sports bettors are also finding difficulty in wagering at the moment. The entire industry has suffered from the coronavirus.

Once the eight weeks are up, IGT is hoping things are settled and they can continue to provide sports betting and gambling entertainment to players all over North America.

News tags: Coronavirus | COVID-19 | IGT | International Game Technology | United Kingdom