Hello MLC Instructors!
I wish I had better news to share with you, but some of you may have already heard through various communication channels that the decision has been made to close for the remainder of the season. Please read Greg’s message below. There is some additional information at the bottom of this email that I implore you to read as many of your questions may be answered below.
Greg Pack shared this message with the entire team via Dayforce:
Team,
I hope you are faring well in these chaotic times. I will cut to the chase: After communicating with our local health authorities and reviewing all options we have made the decision to close for the remainder of the season. We will leave open the possibility to open for a few weekends in late spring if the stars align but that is not likely at this point.
One thing that helps in these chaotic times is to control what we can. I can’t tell you how many times the leadership team and myself have gone back and forth on whether to reopen with limited operations or close for the remainder of the season. There are many factors to consider, and I want to assure you that we have used the company mission and values to guide our thinking. There is no way we could continue to operate and guarantee we are not contributing to spreading the virus.
I felt the need to keep our team working and provide an outlet for those who want to continue to do an activity they love. I also felt the responsibility to the general population and our healthcare system to do everything we can to help stop the spread of this virus. How do you keep social distancing while inviting a couple thousand people to show up at one location and the answer is there is not a responsible feasible way. We have a responsibility to protect you and our guests and do everything we can to stop this pandemic. This is why we decided to close for the remainder of the season.
We want to take care of you and will continue to pay you our seasonal team members through the 27th of March which is the end of the current pay period. We will do this based upon schedules and averaged hours worked for the past 6 weeks. For year round and seasonal managers we will work directly with you on appropriate work schedules and tear down.
There are lots of moving parts to close the resort, even if you are being laid off. We have built a team resources page with tons of great info on it to help you with everything from unemployment to food assistance, to cleaning out your locker. https://team.skihood.com/covid-19-layoff-resources/ We are organizing a uniform drop off at some of the bus stops this Sunday for you to bring your uniform if you took it home by accident. https://team.skihood.com/employee-bus-schedule/ Once laid off you will continue to have access to Dayforce for your paystubs and personal info.
We would still like to hear from you so if you have feedback for us please use the Team Check-In Survey which is live at https://team.skihood.com Responses from the last survey area also posted and you can use the start date of 3/4/2020 to just filter comments and responses from the last survey.
This closure is going to be incredibly hard on all involved and will affect us all in different ways. I know we have a world class team and a great future in front of us after we manage through this uncertain and unprecedented time. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your families and looking forward to being on the other side of this unfortunate situation.
Sincerely,
Your Leadership Team.
Greg Pack
General Manager
Commonly Asked Questions from you and others … thus far:
Q: Can I get my personal items out of my locker?
A: Yes, however your personal items are safe and secure in your locker – there is no need to rush to the mountain to retrieve them. Non-Essential personal items will remain secure in lockers until social distancing restrictions are lifted. At this time, we are not planning to enter anyone’s locker, so please don’t make a special trip to the mountain.
Q: If I am coming to retrieve my personal items, and I am not sick or running a fever, what do I need to do?
Please only come to the mountain to retrieve your personal items if you are feeling well. Please exercise social distancing – stay 6 feet away from others. When accessing your personal items, please use disinfectant wipes (found in the locker room) to wipe your locker latch, pad lock, and other related surfaces – and use hand sanitizer (found in the locker room) before and after accessing your locker to protect yourself and others. If you have extraneous circumstances that require you to immediately pick up your belongings, please call DPS prior to visiting Mt Hood Meadows to ensure they will be around to assist you with entry into the building. You can reach them at 503-337-2222 x 1318 or x 1319
Q: How do I turn in my uniform?
A: We will have clear plastic bags in the instructor break room. Please empty your uniform pockets of all personal items; remove your name tags and place them in the bucket on the table in the break room. Please leave your uniform items in a clear bag, with your full name on a piece of paper inside the bag. Leave the bag on the floor in the instructor break room. We will transport these to laundry when they are open. These instructions are also posted in the break room.
Q: I have a uniform item at home – how do I get these turned in?
A: No worries. We know that sometimes uniform items somehow get worn home. We need these back and have made it relatively easy for you to return them. We have a Mobile Uniform Pickup scheduled for March 22. Get the details here: https://team.skihood.com/covid-19-layoff-resources/
Q: How do I apply for unemployment benefits?
A: Details on how to get this type of support and other support is located here: https://team.skihood.com/covid-19-layoff-resources/
Q: I heard Mt. Hood Meadows is paying team members who were scheduled but did not work due to the suspension of operations – how does this work?
A: Yes, Mt. Hood Meadows is maintaining the Perpetual Stoke model by putting team first and paying all full time and part time team members who were scheduled during our suspension of operation through the current pay period: March 14 – March 27. We are calculating average gross wages looking back 6 weeks for most instructors to calculate your gross day rate average. Then for any days you were scheduled in the current pay period, those days will be paid at that rate for the day.
Q: When and how will I be paid?
A: If you are enrolled in direct deposit, this will appear in your account on the next pay day. If you receive a check, this will be mailed out to you. You can update your mailing address in Dayforce if it has changed. This will be the best way to ensure you receive your final pay check in a timely manner.
Q: Can I skin up, hike for turns, do some Nordic skiing, etc.?
A: Yes! You may hike, skin, walk, run, crawl, etc. within our permit area. The Nordic trails will also be groomed 2 times per week, so you can Nordic ski too.
Q: How does this affect my schedule commitment?
A: If you were on track to complete your schedule commitment based on days worked so far and teaching hours accumulated, then you will have met your commitment for the season.
Thank you everyone for enriching the lives of your fellow team mates, guests and self. I hope we can keep this momentum happening next season as well. Despite the early season ending, we are still proceeding with the Sahale Lodge build out. There may be some modifications to the existing lodge repurposing, however rest assured, we are going to move forward with investing in you and your mountain home.
Thanks for a great season and please continue to reach out to Josey, Peter or me during the next several weeks.
Yours in snowsports,
Tyler
