COVID-19 effect: Disney Parks to fire 28,000 US employees

Disney Parks is letting go of 28,000 US employees due to impact of the ongoing the pandemic on Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

Two-thirds of these employees are part-time workers.

Disney Parks chairman Josh D'Amaro wrote a letter to employees, saying that this was "the only feasible option we have" due to the Covid-19 pandemic forcing the parks to limit capacity and the ongoing closure of Disneyland in Anaheim, California, reports variety.com.

He added in another statement that the state of California's "unwillingness to lift restrictions that would allow Disneyland to reopen" worsened the situation.

Disneyland has remained shut since mid-March. Walt Disney World in Orlando, which also closed in March, reopened in mid-July with safety measures as well as reduced visitor capacity.

In the letter to workers, D'Amaro said that the company would meet with affected salaried and non-union hourly employees over the next few days and will begin discussing next steps with the unions that represent those theme park workers.

About 67 percent of the cuts will impact part-time workers, affect Disney staff across executive, salaried and hourly positions.