North Bay employers report almost 350 job cuts since November

Over the last two months, a dozen businesses in the North Bay have filed notices of job displacements through California’s WARN Act (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification), according to the state Employment Development Department.

The state’s WARN Act requires companies that have employed at least 75 workers at their facilities in the previous year to provide 60 days’ advance notice of layoffs, terminations or business closures, according to the EDD. But when the pandemic began in March, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order that temporarily suspends the 60-day deadline because of COVID-19, with some exceptions.

WARN filings do not capture all businesses making job adjustments.

In Marin County, two businesses with operations in the region filed WARN notices, with Corte Madera-based restaurant chain Il Fornaio America reporting 347 temporary layoffs that became effective Dec. 7. And Sundance Holdings Group, LLC, a Salt Lake City-based retailer, will terminate seven employees when its shop at The Villages in Corte Madera permanently closes on Jan. 31.

WARN filings in Sonoma County include three Santa Rosa businesses.

Clothier Abercrombie & Fitch Co., based in New Albany, Ohio, will permanently close its Santa Rosa Plaza store on Jan. 16, resulting in the loss of 29 jobs. Apex Septic Design in November notified the EDD it will permanently close its doors in Santa Rosa on March 31, putting 36 employees out of work.

Safari West, a 400-acre private wildlife preserve in Santa Rosa that largely relies on tourism business, temporarily laid off 73 employees on Dec. 12.

In Napa County, three businesses filed WARN notices with reports of cuts taking place in November. Napa Valley Casino in American Canyon on Nov. 18 temporarily laid off 69 employees. On Nov. 13, six employees were permanently cut from Andaz Napa’s payroll. The hotel is a Hyatt Corporation property.

Perry Lang’s Yountville Restaurant at The Estate on Nov. 25 temporarily laid off 11 employees. And another restaurant, TORC, in Napa, temporarily closed on Dec. 17, resulting in the layoff of 23 employees.

In Solano County, Greenberry Industrial LLC, in Fairfield, filed a WARN notice that it will permanent close on Jan. 19. The general industrial fabricator and contractor business employed 38 people. In Vacaville, In-Shape Health Clubs on Nov. 23 temporarily closed, impacting 12 employees.

In Mendocino County, there was one WARN notice from Adventist Health Howard Memorial in Willits, which reported one permanent job cut that was effective Dec. 14. There were no filings in Lake County.