MGM Announces Accommodations for Its Working Employees

MGM Resorts International announced Friday what accommodations it will provide for its working employees. The announcement came just before the start of the new school year in Clark County, Nevada, where students return to studying through distance learning.

The Las Vegas-based casino and hospitality operator informed its working parents will be offered with discounted rates for child care, tutoring and computer equipment, to help alleviate their concerns ahead of August 24 when school classes begin.

Working Parents’ Biggest Concern

According to a recent survey, approximately one quarter of the respondents working in Clark County District said that they would need child care. The survey also explains why last week the cities of Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and Henderson added over a thousand child care openings in an effort to replace closed school facilities.

Some parents in Clark County District find the cost of day care, especially those with more than one child, insurmountable, while others worry their very young children will not get the level of support they need in a day care environment, especially those with special needs. Single parents are faced with an impossible choice between keeping their children safe or keeping their jobs, respectively a roof over their heads.

Listening to Its Employees

MGM is the only one of six Las Vegas-based casino operators to provide such accommodations for its working employees and the proposed solution was based on the feedback it received from staff with school-aged children, the company outlined in the official statement.

“Our goal is to be part of the solution for these parents.”

Callie Driehorst, spokeswoman, MGM Resorts International

The alternative to child care is the provision in the federal labor law which allows working parents to take 10 weeks of paid leave, but with the uncertainty surrounding the situation due to the dynamic nature of the business environment influenced by the coronavirus, that option does not look sustainable.

Employees of MGM will also have access to its online platform called “Employee Working Parents Network Group” where they could find support with other working parents locally. MGM would also explore possible solutions and developing needs on a continuing basis as the school year progresses, being prepared to implement changes quickly, Callie Driehorst further explained.

MGM Resorts was one of the first casino operators which started putting their workers on furloughs as the closure of the casino properties were looming back in March, placing nearly 63,000 employees on furlough nationwide.

MGM was also the gaming and hospitality company which created an emergency grant fund to help its furloughed employees meet their needs, a fund which managed to raise nearly $14 million, most of which was spent on utility bills, medical expenses and rents or homeowners’ loan payments for MGM employees whose income was impacted by the business closures.