For many, we’ve come to the end of the first full week of quarantining. It hasn’t been easy on anyone, but I’m here to share some good news for you to end your week. Nashville Predators Director of Communications Kevin Wilson said Friday the team’s part-time employee assistance plan is now in place.
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Team CEO Sean Henry mentioned this plan during a press conference March 12 when he first announced part-time employees impacted by the cancelation of the SEC Tournament being held at Bridgestone Arena would be compensated.
“They really are the heroes of what we do every day,” Henry said during that press conference. “They’re the pulse beat of what we are, so I just think it’s the right thing to do. We don’t have that plan fully baked right now, but we want to try to make sure we do the right thing for all of them.”
Friday, Wilson laid out the plan for those employees counting on the checks from the remaining Predators’ home games as well as concerts held at the arena that have all currently been suspended.
All part-time employees for Bridgestone Arena, Ford Ice Centers, the box office, and SEC Tournament staff have been, or will be, paid in full for their scheduled shifts. Wilson said if those employees have not yet received their checks, they will by March 27, depending on the timing of the pay period. This includes all part-time employees who were scheduled to work the remaining six home games. Currently, any part-time employee scheduled to work postponed concerts such as Pearl Jam and Five Finger Death Punch will be put at the top of the list to sign up to work the shows on their makeup dates. Those concerts do not count as part of the plan for payment, but will get first priority for a new schedule.
In addition to their compensation, Wilson says all of those employees are eligible to work the rescheduled concerts and any remaining game the Predators play if/when the season resumes.
Currently, Wilson says the Predators are working with their vendors to get the employee information for the part-timers scheduled to work the concerts, tournaments, and games. Vendors are contracted by the Predators to work, so their employees don’t technically work for the team and therefore the team does not have their contact information on-hand for those employees to be paid. However, Wilson says the Predators organization is working diligently to get a list of all vendor employees and they will be paid as soon as possible.
“If you work for one of these vendors it might take a little bit of time for us to make sure we get all the information we need from you to make sure that we cut you a check to get in the mail,” Wilson said.
Wilson said Predators players, coaching staff, executives, and owners have all pitched in to make this plan a reality so part-time employees counting on these paychecks could be compensated.
“Everybody, our players have pitched in, coaches, executives, owners, all to take care of all these people,” Wilson said.
However, Wilson says the team plans to keep the details of those contributions private to protect the privacy of those individuals and the employees.
There is currently no timetable for when the NHL could resume play, but the plan the Predators have in place for their part-time employees can spread hope and optimism for the future.