Coronavirus: Abercrombie & Fitch Lays Off 401 In Hudson Valley

Michael Woyton
·2 min read

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — More than 401 people were laid off due to the closure of several Abercrombie & Fitch stores in the Hudson Valley. 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.

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Abercrombie & Fitch Co. announced the temporarily closing of 10 stores in the Hudson Valley, affecting 401 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 in the Hudson Valley are as follows:

  • Abercrombie & Fitch, Woodbury Commons Premium Outlets, Central Valley

  • Hollister Co., Galleria-Crystal Run, Middletown

  • Hollister Co., Poughkeepsie Galleria, Poughkeepsie

  • Hollister Co., Palisades Center, West Nyack

  • Abercrombie & Fitch, Palisades Center, West Nyack

  • Abercrombie Kids, Palisades Center, West Nyack

  • Hollister Co., Cross County Shopping Center, Yonkers

  • Hollister Co., Jefferson Valley Mall, Yorktown Heights

  • Abercrombie & Fitch, The Westchester, White Plains

  • Hollister Co., The Westchester, White Plains

  • Abercrombie Kids, The Westchester, White Plains

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 said. "The company will fund 100 percent of the health premiums for eligible associates impacted by these measures."

Additionally, the company will be implementing a temporary reduction in work schedule and corresponding reduction in pay for about 15 percent of its corporate associates around the world, who are not able to operate at full capacity during the new coronavirus outbreak.

"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 said.

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This article originally appeared on the Yorktown-Somers Patch