Stripers at Waterside abruptly closed and laid off workers with out clarification, employees say

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Stripers seafood restaurant at Waterside in Norfolk abruptly closed its doorways this week and laid off its workers with out warning or a proof, employees say.

Stripers’ web site nonetheless reveals no adjustments, however its Facebook page says it’s now “permanently closed.”

Although the closure doesn’t look like everlasting. 10 On Your Aspect discovered Stripers, which opened at Waterside in 2017, plans to reopen subsequent month, seemingly with a model new workers.

Two employees who spoke to 10 On Your Aspect on Wednesday mentioned they had been blindsided by the transfer.

Lauren, a lead server, mentioned the workers was instructed Sunday evening that the restaurant can be closing efficient instantly and that they had been all being laid off. It took place half-hour after possession met with managers, Lauren mentioned.

“We had been all left jobless with no warning,” Lauren mentioned. “No time to organize. We weren’t requested to signal any termination paperwork, nothing of the kind. We had been simply instructed to not return on Wednesday as a result of they had been going to be closing, which from my understanding, that meant completely.”

Nonetheless, that doesn’t appear to be the case. Lauren says when somebody who’d been on workers referred to as and tried to made a reservation, they discovered from somebody on the opposite line that Stripers was closed for “upkeep” and that they deliberate to reopen in October.

“I’m guessing they simply needed to eliminate the entire workers. I’m not likely certain why they might do this, however they didn’t give us like a day warning or something,” mentioned Pamela Ortiz, who labored as a bunch at Stripers for a number of months. She was within the hospital on the time and discovered she was let undergo textual content message.

Each employees mentioned it’s bizarre as a result of nothing actually appeared out of types within the months forward of the announcement, and that the workers of 35-40 felt like a giant household. Some had labored at Stripers for years.

Lauren believes that the administration workforce was the perfect she’s had within the enterprise.

“We had been all actually like household there, which is why it’s so upsetting too,” Ortiz added. “We’ve a bunch of workforce members that want this job, or wanted the job.”

Lauren says the blame lies with possession.

“I’m extraordinarily disenchanted with the proprietor’s enterprise practices and extremely encourage all people to know what occurred. As a result of it might occur to them in the event that they select to be employed by them.”

WAVY reached out to Stripers at Waterside and its different location in Manteo for remark, however didn’t instantly hear again from possession.

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