When Gov. Andrew Cuomo shut down indoor dining again, restaurants started handing out pink slips. Again.
At least five restaurants have filed WARN notices with the Department of Labor in recent days, citing the governor’s restrictions as the reason they are laying off staff.
Three of those — Electric Lemon, Upland NYC and El Vez NY — are owned by STARR Restaurants. In total, they are laying off 117 employees.
Le Bernardin and Aldo Sohm Wine Bar are also laying off 76 employees between the two.
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STARR Restaurants and Le Bernardin both declined to comment.
And though restaurants are still allowed to operate with outdoor dining, takeout and delivery, some decided after the governor’s Dec. 11 announcement that it’s not worthwhile to stay open.
Overall, 78 percent of New York restaurants expect layoffs in the next three months, as opposed to 49 percent nationally, according to a recent report by the New York State Restaurant Association.
Though the layoffs this month seem to be temporary, many other restaurants permanently shuttered following various shutdowns. The same report estimates that 4,500 in New York City have already closed forever.