Report states Hurricanes to stop paying full-time staff; owner denies it

A report by the News & Observer based in Raleigh, North Carolina says full-time employees of the Carolina Hurricanes have been told that they will no longer be paid after this week due to uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. The report states Don Waddell, president and general manager of the Hurricanes, instructed all non-contracted full-time employees through an email to immediately use their accrued vacation time and personal time off (PTO). Employees without available vacation time or PTO will be off without pay.

In his email to staff, Waddell did not indicate how long this policy will be in place, nor did he say how it might impact employees' health or other benefits. The policy does not affect contracted employees such as senior management, coaches or scouts.

"We have been exploring multiple options on how best to take care of our employees while being mindful of the business challenges we face,” Waddell said in the email.

However, there seems to be some dispute over exactly what was written in the email. While the News & Observer says it received a copy of the directive from an employee, ABC reporter Mark Armstrong says he's had conversation with both Waddell and team owner Tom Dundon who are both denying it.

"I've spoken or texted with both Tom Dundon and Don Waddell who are flatly denying the story about full timers not getting paid beyond next week. The email sent to employees is the email though. Mandatory vacation days next week sure seems fishy," said Armstrong in a Tweet.

Armstrong later had a call with Dundon and revealed some of the details below.

Source: News & Observer

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