La Tasca, the Spanish tapas bar in Washington, D.C.’s Chinatown, unexpectedly closed on Monday without even warning its employees in advance.
People working at the restaurant received an email on the same day telling them the business was shutting down, according to Washington City Paper. Some workers are likely to be transferred to its Rockville or Alexandria locations.
In the November 25 email obtained by Washington City Paper, the owners of the place ensured that La Tasca Alexandria and La Tasca Rockville would keep operating and that they would “accommodate inter-company transfers to those locations.”
The email added that the employers could “make recommendations and facilitate interviews and securing similar job positions.”
The news outlet interviewed an employee, who said being transferred would not be a good idea since scheduling requests of each worker might not be met at the new spot, as well as traveling to Rockville or Alexandria would be more difficult.
In a statement to the news outlet, the owners explained that the move resulted from their decision not to renew their contract with their landlord:
“We understand La Tasca Chinatown’s closing may seem abrupt, but we decided with our landlord late last week not to renew our lease. La Tasca Chinatown employees are being offered positions at La Tasca’s other locations in Rockville and Alexandria and those transfers are effective immediately. There is a schedule in place for this week at La Tasca Chinatown and we are honoring that schedule. Employees who report to work this week will be compensated for their time and they have the option to choose to be transferred to our Rockville or Alexandria locations. We care deeply about our employees, they the heart of La Tasca, and we are doing everything in our power to accommodate them.”