The Ritz-Carlton Naples lays off more than 500 employees

The Ritz-Carlton in Naples is laying off 591 employees as damage caused by Hurricane Ian has forced it to close until at least early next year.

The layoffs were posted to Florida’s WARN database Friday evening, Oct. 21. But according to a letter sent to the state to meet WARN requirements, the employees were laid off Oct. 13.

Federal law requires companies to provide states with Worker Adjustment Retraining and Notification notices when making job cuts.

In the letter signed by Maribeth McElligott, the market director for human resources, the company says the layoffs are temporary but because of uncertainties they “may last until six months or longer.”

“Experts and consultants continue to evaluate the extent of the natural disaster damage and have not yet determined when we will reopen the hotel for business,” the letter says. “While we are targeting the first part of 2023, the re-reopening could be extended with the rebuilding of the power grid, infrastructure and supply delays.”

This is the second mass layoff at a well-known property in the past few days, bringing the total of announced job losses to 829. The other was at the South Seas Island Resorts which announced Oct. 18 that it was closed because of damage from Hurricane Ian and was cutting 238 jobs.

Given the extent of the damage along the Gulf Coast, these are unlikely to be the only jobs that will be lost.

The Ritz-Carlton, at 280 Vanderbilt Beach Rd., advised employees to talk to the human resources department about possible opportunities at other properties and about unemployment benefits and federal disaster relief.