TD Garden workers waiting for some financial relief and the resumption of events at the venue amid the coronavirus crisis were officially laid off on Tuesday.
Part-time Garden workers received the news in an afternoon email, according to the Boston Globe.
In a statement to the Globe, a spokesman for the Garden and Boston Bruins said:
“The unprecedented reality of the COVID-19 crisis and its impact to our business unfortunately resulted in us placing some of our Bruins and TD Garden full-time hourly associates on temporary leave today. This decision was difficult, and we hope this situation is temporary.”
The layoffs come three days after the Jacobs family, owners of Delaware North, the parent company of the Garden and Bruins, announced that a $1.5 million fund had been set up to help compensate part-time game-day employees. That fund wouldn't go into effect until Bruins games were officially canceled by the NHL, though.
The Bruins were the last NHL team to announce a plan to aid their part-time workers. Delaware North chairman Jeremy Jacobs, 80, has an estimated net worth of $3.6 billion.
A GoFundMe campaign was set up in the days after the major sports' shutdowns to help the Garden's part-time workers. It included contributions from several Bruins players. Through Tuesday night, it had raised more than $41,000.
Boston Bruins
The emailed letter to workers obtained by the Globe read in part:
"...The coronavirus has had significant implications across all of Delaware North’s lines of business, including at your unit. All the major sports leagues suspended their seasons, governments are requiring closures and reduction of capacity at certain venues, tourism has declined, events have been canceled, and more people are simply staying home. Due to this, the Company has no choice but to ensure that we are appropriately staffed.”
The letter also said Delaware North was "committed to returning all our associates to active duty as soon as possible."