250 Four Seasons Biltmore Hotel employees protest labor uncertainty

MONTECITO, Calif. -- The Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara remains closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The hotel's employees are trying to figure out what the hotel's closure means to them.

On Thursday, about 250 employees and family members marched around Montecito, the hotel and the owner's home demanding answers. They want to know when they may go back to work, if they will be laid-off and receive severance or if they will be able to have access to their healthcare.

Jose Luis Ogeda has worked at the hotel for 20 year. He said, "Going through all of this in the middle of a pandemic it just shocks us, it's horrible."

The hotel closed at the start of the pandemic in mid-March and employees don't know when they'll be back on the job.

"But what's going to happen to us?" asked Maria Svensson. She's worked at the hotel for 21 years. "And we have no benefits anymore that was cut June 30. So you have all these people during the pandemic with no insurance."

Employees said they used their vacation and paid time off to extend benefits as long as possible, but those days ran out. Now they want to know what's happening and when they can go back to work.

"And all of the rumors are flying all over Santa Barbara," said Svensson. "Is it being sold, which I don't think it is. Is it going under renovation? Are we being laid-off? What's going to happen?" 

While other employees, like Ogeda, are concerned for their family's well-being. "I hope Four Seasons Santa Barbara opens soon. So I can have my job back, and have my family to support."

The employees said they don't want to look for another job, they like working for the hotel. They just want to hear from their owner, Ty Warner.

Warner is no stranger to emergencies. Two years ago he paid about 600 employees during the hotel's five-month closure because of the Montecito mudslide.

A representative for the hotel said the staff is furloughed to allow them to keep their accumulated seniority states, benefits, vacation time, personal time off and severance compensation when the hotel reopens. But workers said they haven't had any benefits for over a month.