Encore Boston Harbor Continues Hiring Spree, Women Encouraged to Apply

Posted on: June 18, 2019, 10:44h. 

Last updated on: June 18, 2019, 10:44h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

The $2.6 billion Encore Boston Harbor had its soft opening yesterday, and is set to officially welcome the public come Sunday, June 23. But casino reps say the integrated resort located across the Mystic River in Everett has a long way to go in terms of hiring its complete workforce.

Encore Boston Harbor career Wynn jobs
Encore Boston Harbor is still in search of qualified workers. (Image: Michael Dwyer/AP)

Wynn Resorts says the casino and 671-room hotel has created 5,800 positions. Jacqui Krum, Encore Boston’s general counsel, tells the Boston Globe this week that around 900 openings remain to be filled.

The property is far exceeding its hiring of minorities, but it’s lagging when it comes to female workers. According to Krum, women represent around 44 percent of those hired to date, which is behind the company’s 50-50 gender split goal.

Wynn Resorts pledged to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) during its 2013 bidding for the Boston-region license that 50 percent of its employees would be women. Krum said the uncertainty of when and if the casino would open kept some potential candidates away.

It’s also not a stretch of the imagination to believe some women shunned Encore Boston Harbor in wake of the sexual harassment scandal allegations surrounding the casino operator’s founder and former chairman and CEO.

Encore Boston is planning a low-key opening on Sunday at 10 am. Casino President Robert DeSalvio told the MGC, “We wanted the opening to occur in the morning so that if people were going to line up, it would be early in the morning before it got too hot. We’re trying to be cognizant of public safety in particular.”

Rooms still remain for Sunday night, and start at $777. With taxes and fees, the total for a one-night stay in a Premier King room goes for $867.91.

Fines Unlikely

The MGC could impose penalties on Wynn Resorts for failing to live up to its pledged hiring goals.

However, the company is far exceeding its commitment that at least 40 percent of the Boston property’s workforce would identify as minorities. To date, 51 percent have designated themselves as a minority.

The MGC levied $35.5 million in fines against Wynn Resorts and its new CEO Matt Maddox in May for “numerous violations” of company executives failing to properly report alleged sexual misconduct. The state gaming regulator said the company was aware of the allegations against Steve Wynn during the 2013 bidding.

Casino Benefits

Hiring 5,800 people in a region that’s never been home to a casino is no easy task. Pair that with record low unemployment, and the mission is that more difficult.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics says the unemployment rate for the Boston-Cambridge-Quincy area was just 2.4 percent in April – the most recent data report. But a career with Wynn Resorts is attractive to many.

The publicly traded company says its “employees get five-star” treatment just like its guests. Along with typical benefits offered by such large companies like healthcare, paid time off, and 401(k) savings plan, Wynn Resorts provides incentives for perfect attendance, discounted goods from the casino’s exclusive staff store, and educational assistance.