Dallas City Wire

Ruby Hernandez, described by Dallas Marriott Suites management as "a stellar associate" who is "tenacious, dependable and hard-working", was furloughed last week due to a dramatic drop in hotel reservation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Until her furlough, Hernandez had been an associate for Remington Hotels, which manages the Dallas Marriott Suites, for seven years and "numerous times she has earned and has been recognized as the Associate of the Month," Regional Director and HR Business Partner Lucy Ledezma said.

"Ruby is also a mom and dad to her children she is a single mom of four," Ledezma said.

Ruby Hernandez and her children.

The oldest child is 18 and the youngest recently turned nine.

The day of Hernandez's furlough was "tough" as she was told that day that "her financial situation was going to change" because of due to the effect COVID-19 has had on economy and occupancy of the hotel.

"As a single mom of four Ruby does not have the opportunity to save for an emergency or a 'rainy day,' she and her children live paycheck to paycheck," Ledezma said.

Hernandez worked hard for those paychecks, Ledezma said.

"She works hard everyday to make ends meet," Ledezma said. "Because she and her children have needs, Ruby would always be willing to work over-time, work any shift, help in other departments do whatever she needed to make sure her family had a roof over their head and food on their table."

Hernandez's furlough means she and her family are "left without the opportunity to provide for her and her children," Ledezma said.

"Remington Hotels is struggling in the face of the coronavirus," Remington Hotels President and CEO Sloan Dean III said in a statement.

Dean's appointment as president and CEO of Remington Hotels was announced in December.

Remington, founded in 1968, is a hotel management company that also provides providing property management services. It's hospitality wing manages 86 hotels in 26 states across 17 brands.

The chain has been hit hard by COVID-19, which has sunk its business to "beyond depression levels" and Remington anticipates losses this year in the hundreds of million, Dean said.

Remington Hotels expects hotels that it manages to run at 90% lower occupancy levels in April 2020, compared to the same month last year, Dean said.

"Most all of our 6800 associates are furloughed," he said, adding that the entire situation is a "disaster."

Priorities for the entire industry were presented to President Donald Trump on Tuesday, March 17 by the American Hotel and Lodging Association.

Those priorities are emergency assistance for employees, a workforce stabilization fund from the U.S. Treasury Department, preservation of business liquidity that would include $100 billion for employee retention and rehiring, and tax relief

"For many Americans in our sector, this health crisis will be compounded by economic hardship in the coming weeks and months," Dean said. "Congress must act now!! Time is essential as unemployment claims in hospitality will be in the millions."

Priorities for the entire industry were presented to President Donald Trump on Tuesday, March 17 by the American Hotel and Lodging Association.

Those priorities are emergency assistance for employees, a workforce stabilization fund from the U.S. Treasury Department, preservation of business liquidity that would include $100 billion for employee retention and rehiring, and tax relief.

"For many Americans in our sector, this health crisis will be compounded by economic hardship in the coming weeks and months," Dean said. "Congress must act now!! Time is essential as unemployment claims in hospitality will be in the millions."