Westfarms Mall Restaurant Announces 'Mass Layoffs'

FARMINGTON/WEST HARTFORD, CT — A restaurant at Westfarms Mall is laying off about 75 staff members while citing the effects of the coronavirus.

In a Federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, or Warn Notice, filed with state officials Thursday, P.F. Chang's China Bistro announced the layoffs at Westfarms.

Restaurants in Connecticut were closed for a good part of the spring. In late May, they began opening with restrictions.

"These unforeseen circumstances may have resulted in limiting our ability to schedule shifts and operate as we previously did. Many of our employees, at the (Westfarms) restaurant have suffered a reduction of hours of greater than 50 percent because of the reduced operations at the restaurant," The WARN Notice stated. "As governmental orders limiting restaurant operations remain in place for the foreseeable future, it is now clear to the company that temporary reduced operations and reduction of hours at the restaurant may last beyond six months from its start back in the spring ... It is unknown how long the reduction of hours will last as our company has no control over governmental regulations relating to COVID-19."

According to the WARN Notice, the employees are not protected by "bumping rights" since they are not covered by a union.