The short version
- Metro Puerto Rico reported that dozens of former Encanto workers and other unemployed people from across the island attended a job fair at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in Hato Rey on Thursday
- El Vocero reported that two weeks after all stores closed and one week after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, Encanto Restaurants had not yet paid its workers their last paycheck
- DTRH Secretary María del Pilar Vélez Casanova told Metro Puerto Rico that the agency has received nearly 1,100 unemployment claims from former Encanto employees through the Desempleo Digital platform
- Vélez Casanova told Metro Puerto Rico she does not anticipate an increase in the unemployment rate because the labor force is growing and there are more than 1,000 job offers from 85 employers
Job fair draws laid-off workers
Decenas de personas arrived at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in Hato Rey on Thursday for a job fair organized by the Departamento del Trabajo y Recursos Humanos (DTRH). The event was held after more than 2,000 employees were laid off following the closure of KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and several IHOP restaurants operated by Encanto Restaurants. Metro Puerto Rico reported that the job fair grouped more than 1,300 people seeking employment and orientation, including laid-off workers and other unemployed individuals from across Puerto Rico.
Sirmichael Torres, a former KFC employee of 32 years, told Metro Puerto Rico he had not yet received his final paycheck, which included pay for the previous week, approximately 30 days of vacation and a service award of more than $1,000. Torres expressed sadness that the company, which operated in Puerto Rico for 59 years, had closed so suddenly.
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Assistance with unpaid wages and benefits
DTRH Secretary María del Pilar Vélez Casanova told Metro Puerto Rico that the agency is collecting information from laid-off Encanto employees who have not received payment for hours worked in order to file a formal claim on their behalf. She said the department is assisting former workers in applying for unemployment benefits through the Desempleo Digital platform, job search services and orientation from the Negociado de Normas del Trabajo regarding pending wages or settlements.
Vélez Casanova indicated that nearly 1,100 unemployment claims from former Encanto workers have been received via the digital platform. She added that Encanto management had told the department they did not know the closures would occur so suddenly, though she noted that information from the company has been limited. Metro Puerto Rico reported.
El Vocero reported that former Taco Bell employee Jarelys Santos Huertas confirmed that workers had not been paid their last weekly paycheck two weeks after the closures and one week after the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
No expected rise in unemployment rate
Vélez Casanova told Metro Puerto Rico that she does not anticipate the island's unemployment rate will increase. She cited a growing labor force and the availability of more than 1,000 job offers from 85 employers. Additional job fairs are scheduled for Nov. 17 in Ponce and Nov. 23 in Fajardo.
Department of Economic Development and Commerce Secretary Carlos Ríos Pierluisi told Metro Puerto Rico that the Encanto situation was atypical but that other establishments in the same sector are seeking workers. Companies such as Wendy's, McDonald's, Burger King and Church's participated in the job fair. He said the events provide laid-off workers the opportunity to find similar or different employment.
Where the sources differ
All sources agree that Encanto Restaurants closed its outlets, laid off more than 2,000 workers and that many have not received their final pay. Metro Puerto Rico and El Vocero both report on unpaid last paychecks, with Metro citing a specific former KFC worker and El Vocero citing a former Taco Bell worker. Metro Puerto Rico reports the job fair occurred on Thursday with more than 1,300 total attendees while El Vocero focuses on the timing relative to the bankruptcy filing. Metro Puerto Rico quotes DTRH Secretary Vélez Casanova saying nearly 1,100 unemployment claims were filed and that she does not expect the unemployment rate to rise; El Vocero does not address the job fair or unemployment rate. Metro Puerto Rico also includes comments from Economic Development Secretary Ríos Pierluisi on the atypical nature of the situation and participation by other fast-food chains.
What the reports do not say
The sources do not state the exact total number of former Encanto workers who attended the Thursday job fair, the precise date of the Chapter 11 filing, the full amount owed to all employees, whether any payments have been made to any workers, the outcome of the job fair in terms of hires, or what steps Encanto management will take regarding the unpaid wages during the bankruptcy process.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Official “Es triste”: Exempleados de Encanto buscan nuevas oportunidades laborales
- Reporting “Es triste”: Exempleados de Encanto buscan nuevas oportunidades laborales
- Reporting Exempleados de Encanto Restaurants permanecen sin cobrar su última semana laboral
How we checked this
Metro Puerto Rico provided the most comprehensive account including details of the job fair, quotes from the former KFC worker, the labor secretary and the economic development secretary. El Vocero added the perspective of a former Taco Bell worker on the unpaid final paycheck and the timing relative to the bankruptcy filing. Information on the number of unemployment claims, expectations for the unemployment rate and future job fairs rests solely on statements to Metro Puerto Rico.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.
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