The Venetian Continues to Trim Workforce at a  Moment of Historic Downturn in Visitation Rates

The Venetian, ranked among the top 10 casinos in Las Vegas, has now announced that it is laying off “less than 50” employees, after a continuous decrease in profit.

This comes amid a slowdown in the Las Vegas Strip economy, with visitors at an all-time low. This is not the first time The Venetian has laid off people this year, as reported by Vital Vegas, a local publication.

The Venetian Has Been Trimming Its Workforce, Hoping no No-one Would Notice

The current downturn could be even worse than what the property went through during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, The Venetian isn’t the only casino announcing layoffs – Resorts World and Fontainebleau, two other prominent casinos on the Strip, have also made similar announcements.

In a Tweet by Vital Vegas, the local publication recalls that The Venetian had another round of layoffs in July:

“Quiet layoffs continue at Venetian. Started in July, another cut last week (always fewer than 50 to avoid WARN Act requirements). Business reportedly down 10-15%, also bracing for higher labor costs associated with new union contracts.”

Employees on just about every level in the company are being let go. All the while, The Venetian is undergoing a $ 1.5-billion upgrade, which is its biggest renovation to date.

The Venetian issued a statement in which management tried to explain what the goal of the lay-offs was:

“By reducing layers within our leadership, we can act more swiftly, make decisions more efficiently, and ensure a closer connection between our frontline teams and senior leaders.”

All Part of a Deliberate Strategy, But What About the WARN Act?

The statement then went on to mention that this wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision, but a well-considered part of the property’s strategy: “This change was made with thoughtful consideration and guided by our core values, recognizing that transitions like these can be challenging.”

By firing fewer than 50 people at a time, the company is seeking to avoid the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, which would have otherwise required them to give а 60-day written notice to each employee, their union reps, and to notify government officials.

A business found non-compliant with the requirements will face penalties, which is why The Venetian has been gradually reducing its workforce in smaller, consistent increments.