Disney increases planned layoffs to 32,000 as virus hits theme parks

FILE PHOTO: A general view of the entrance of Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, California, U.S., March 13, 2020.  REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo

(Mario Anzuoni, Reuters, File Photo)


1 photo
Save Story

Estimated read time: Less than a minute

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

(Reuters) - Walt Disney Co said on Wednesday it would lay off about 32,000 workers, primarily at its theme parks, an increase from the 28,000 it announced in September, as the company struggles with limited customers due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The layoffs will be in the first half of 2021, the company said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A spokesman for Disney confirmed that the latest figures include the 28,000 layoffs announced earlier.

Earlier this month, Disney said it was furloughing additional workers from its theme park in Southern California due to uncertainty over when the state would allow parks to reopen.

Disney's theme parks in Florida and those outside the United States reopened earlier this year without seeing new major coronavirus outbreaks but with strict social distancing, testing and mask use.

Disneyland Paris was forced to close again late last month when France imposed a new lockdown to fight a second wave of the coronavirus cases.

The company's theme parks in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo remain open.

(Reporting by Radhika Anilkumar in Bengaluru; Editing by Vinay Dwivedi)

© Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020

Photos

Most recent Business stories

Related topics

Reuters
    KSL.com Beyond Business
    KSL.com Beyond Series

    KSL Weather Forecast

    KSL Weather Forecast
    Play button