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US LIVE WITH MORE. ALEX ALEX: THE FURLOUGHS AFFECT PART TIME HOURLY EMPLOYEES. THEY GO INTO EFFECT MAY THIRD. UNIVERSAL’S CEO, TOM WILLIAM CALLED THE DECISION TO PUT PART-TIME WORKERS ON UNPAID LEAVE DIFFICULT. AND THEY’RE NOT THE ONLY ONES UNIVERSAL’S EXTENDED CLOSURE WILL IMPACT. THROUGH APRIL 19TH, WILLIAMS SAYS THE COMPANY WILL CONTINUE TO PAY ALL ITS TEAM MEMBERS AT 100%. BUT STARTING APRIL 20TH, NEARLY EVERY EMPLOYEE WILL TAKE A 2 PAY CUT. WORKERS WILL STILL HAVE THEIR FULL BENEFITS. ONE PART-TIME EMPLOYEE WE TALKED TO SAYS HE’S BEEN WITH UNIVERSAL ALMOST FOUR YEARS, AND HE HIS PARENTS WERE ALREADY STRUGGLING BEFORE THE CRISI >> I’M HEARTBROKEN. I MEAN, WE COULD BARELY MAKE ENDS MEET. I WOULD PICK UP SHIFTS AND HAVE MY FELLOW TEAM MEMBERS TRADE AND DROP SHIFTS JUST FOR ME TO PICK UP. ALEX: UNIVERSAL ORLANDO PARKS, HOTELS AND CITYWALK WILL NOW BE CLOSED AT LEAST THROUGH MAY 31ST. IN HIS MESSAGE TO EMPLOYEES, UNIVERSAL’S CEO CALLED EXTENDING THE CLOSURE THE RIGHT THING DO AS WE LISTEN TO GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND HEALTH EXPERTS. HE SAYS THE COMPANY WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION AND ADJUST ACCORD

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Universal Orlando announced Thursday that its theme parks, resorts and CityWalk will remain closed through at least May 31.Universal extended the closure that had been in place through April 19. Coronavirus in Florida: The latest infoUniversal said it is continuing to monitor the situation and will make adjustments as needed. The company said all annual and seasonal passes will automatically be extended by the number of days the theme parks are closed. All monthly payments were postponed effective March 25. Universal also said it will furlough its part-time workers and cut many of its employees pay to 80 percent of their normal salaries. Part-time hourly employees who participate in a benefits plan will continue to be enrolled in their plan, with the company paying weekly contributions on their behalf, Universal said. "I would've been four years with the company at the end of this month," Aaron Davison said. Davison worked a part-time position at Universal Orlando, greeting guests at the turnstiles. He'd been working in the hope he'd get a full-time position, because he supports his family. He and his parents were already struggling before the crisis."It's a major responsibility," he said. "I'm heartbroken. I mean, we could barely make ends meet. I would pick up shifts and have my fellow team members trade and drop shifts just for me to pick up."The family recently dealt with homelessness in the face of serious health issues. Now, they're faced with their most challenging obstacle yet. "It's a great concern of mine now, given the circumstances since they are more extreme, but as long as I have my family, my parents, and we have each other, I know we'll get through it," Davison said. Universal CEO Tom Williams wrote in a statement the decisions on paycuts and furloughs were "difficult choices" and that the situation would continue to be monitored and more changes could come. Earlier this month, Disney announced that its Central Florida theme parks would be closed indefinitely. Disney also recently announced furloughs for some non-union staff.