Coronavirus: Abercrombie & Fitch Lays Off 700 Across LI

Priscila Korb
·2 min read

LONG ISLAND, NY — Nearly 700 people were laid off due to the closure of several Abercrombie & Fitch stores across Long Island.

All nonessential businesses, including clothing stores, were required to close under Gov. Andrew Cuomo's New York State on PAUSE initiative to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Cuomo announced the initiative last month and this week extended it to May 15. Simon Malls also announced the closure of all retail properties last month, one day in advance of the state order.

Abercrombie & Fitch Co. announced the temporarily closing of more than a dozen stores across Long Island, affecting 696 employees, according to the New York State Department of Labor. The stores include Abercrombie & Fitch, Abercrombie Kids, Hollister Co. and Gilly Hicks.

The company said furloughs for part-time employees began March 28 while furloughs for full-time employees began April 12. The company cited "unforeseeable business circumstances prompted by COVID-19" as the reason for the layoffs.

Here the list of affected stores on Long Island:

  • Hollister in Green Acres Mall, 2034 Green Acres Mall, Valley Stream

  • Abercrombie & Fitch in Roosevelt Field Mall, 630 Old Country Road, Garden City

  • Hollister in Roosevelt Field Mall, 630 Old Country Road, Garden City

  • Abercrombie kids in Roosevelt Field Mall, 630 Old Country Road, Garden City

  • Hollister in Broadway Mall on 875A Broadway Mall, Hicksville

  • Hollister in the Sunrise Mall on One Sunrise Mall, Massapequa

  • Abercrombie & Fitch in Deer Park Outlet, 152 The Arches Circle, Deer Park

  • Abercrombie & Fitch in Riverhead Outlet on 200 Tanger Mall Drive, Riverhead

  • Hollister in Riverhead Outlet on 1770 W Main Street in Riverhead

  • Abercrombie Kids in Riverhead Outlet on 1770 West Main Street in Riverhead

  • Abercrombie & Fitch in Smith Haven Mall on 175 Smith Haven Mall, Lake Grove

  • Hollister in Smith Haven Mall on 313 Smith Haven Mall, Lake Grove

  • Abercrombie Kids in Smith Haven Mall on 362 Smith Haven Mall, Lake Grove

  • Abercrombie & Fitch in Walt Whitman Mall on 160 Walt Whitman Road in Huntington Station

In a news release last week, the company announced that online stores remain open globally, but that it will be furloughing store associates across the United States.

"The current environment has resulted in significantly reduced demand, requiring fewer resources to support the business," the news release reads. "The company will fund 100 percent of the health premiums for eligible associates impacted by these measures."

The company will also be issued a temporary reduction in work schedules and pay reductions for 15 percent of its corporate associates globally.

"The company will make every effort to bring its stores associates back to work, and its corporate associates back to a full schedule, as soon as possible," the news release reads.

This article originally appeared on the Deer Park-North Babylon Patch