These companies have furloughed or laid off Houston and Texas workers due to the coronavirus

PHOTOS: Companies that have made tough calls due to pandemic

The novel coronavirus pandemic has reportedly cost Houston billionaire Tilman Fertitta Fertitta about a third of his net worth, forcing him to furloughed approximately 40,000 employees since the outbreak started.

>>>See more for companies that have issued layoffs and furloughed Houston and Texas-based workers due to the pandemic... less PHOTOS: Companies that have made tough calls due to pandemic

The novel coronavirus pandemic has reportedly cost Houston billionaire Tilman Fertitta Fertitta about a third of his net worth, forcing him to ... more Photo: Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff Photographer Photo: Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff Photographer Image 1 of / 73 Caption Close These companies have furloughed or laid off Houston and Texas workers due to the coronavirus 1 / 73 Back to Gallery

The novel coronavirus pandemic has upended life for people across the globe as mandated event and business closures have forced some companies to furlough workers, issue layoffs and cut hours.

These companies have had to make difficult decisions that have and will leave thousands of Texas and Houston-area residents unsure of how they will make ends meet. The economic turmoil has also led to a significant jump in first-time claims for unemployment insurance in Texas.

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Companies such as Houston's Alley Theater have taken huge losses; the Houston-based theater laid off 75 percent of its staff and canceled the remainder of its season due to the pandemic. The theater has set up an Alley Emergency Campaign to help offset the financial loss.

“Canceling the remainder of our season is a huge financial burden," managing director Dean Gladden said in a news release. "We need the support of Houston more than ever before to continue producing incredible shows while supporting our artists and staff.”

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Houston Billionaire Tilman Fertitta furloughed 70 percent of the employees that make up his Houston-based restaurant, casino, hospitality and entertainment empire, Landry's Inc., which includes the Golden Nugget casinos and hundreds of restaurants including Del Frisco’s and Bubba Gump Shrimp. Fertitta has furloughed approximately 40,000 employees since the pandemic broke out and it has cost him about a third of his net worth, according to Bloomberg.

On a brighter note, Fertitta is offering free meals to furloughed workers and their families, the Houston Chronicle reported, although it is unclear when that offer started and how long it will continue.

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Already reeling from low oil prices and spending cuts that started earlier this year, Houston-based oil and gas companies such as Apache were hit by a double whammy once the pandemic started to spread and led to a significantly decreased global demand for oil. The company had cut more than 270 positions in January and then announced further reductions in late March that include laying off 85 employees at its Midland office, the Houston Chronicle reported.

Above, see a list of the companies that have had to make tough calls and lay off or furlough Houston and Texas workers due to the coronavirus pandemic...

Rebecca Hennes covers community news. Read her on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | rebecca.hennes@chron.com