Scooter Store employees have plenty of questions about their furloughs late last week.
Scooter Store CEO Marty Landon reportedly sent out a blanket email at the end of the day last Friday that told all employees not to come back to work unless they received further instructions.
Employees were left dazed and confused, entering their spring break not knowing where their next paycheck would come from.
That email effectively pushed about 1,200 employees into the unemployment lines, and some employees mistakenly believe they are not eligible for benefits because they were furloughed, not fired.
Texas Workforce Commission’s Lisa Givens told reporters in an email that when a return-to-work date is not specified, furloughed workers are considered unemployed and are eligible for TWC benefits.
Givens added that although it could take up to four weeks to start receiving benefits, employees furloughed under these conditions must still search for work to be considered.
In his email, Landon cited continuing business challenges in the layoff decision. The layoffs came after the FBI raided the New Braunfels offices on Feb. 20, reportedly investigating Medicare and Medicaid fraud.
The company has also been under fire from the City of New Braunfels for failing to maintain the number of employees promised when it accepted an incentive agreement three years ago.
The City reportedly has demanded the Scooter Store refund $1.3 million dollars of that incentive.
Workforce Solutions Alamo, which has an office in New Braunfels, has scheduled three information sessions for the Scooter Store workers. The sessions are open to anyone and are scheduled for Friday morning at 9, Friday afternoon at 2, and another on Monday at 2 p.m. at the New Braunfels Civic Center.
