Tony's Unemployment Resources for Disney Cast Members

To my Disney Parks family,

I’ve watched today as friend after friend, post after post, shared their disappointment of being let go from the Company as a result of the massive toll COVID-19 has had on the travel and hospitality industries. The reports are true that nearly 7,000 of Disney’s recently announced 28,000 layoffs from the Parks, Products and Experiences segment have and are impacting Walt Disney World, where countless of you are in my hometown of Orlando.

I know a little bit about the Magic-making that goes on at the Most Magical Place on Earth: My first job ever was at Walt Disney World, at the age of 17. First, as a PhotoPass Photographer and later, throughout my college years in Tampa, I remained a seasonal cast member at the Parks for a variety of other front-line roles to keep me afloat until I landed at Disney Fine Art Photography. There, I supported Disney Fairytale Weddings and Executive Events, where I learned to sharpen and hone in on my craft as a professional photographer. That craft would eventually take me to New York City to embark on an incredible journey, still being written.

Many of you from my life at Parks, well, we grew up together. Others, we started our professional careers there. A number of you affected this week were my leaders and managers, who undoubtedly helped shape the man I am today. We've all kept in touch through the years and I've been so thrilled to have a front row seat of everyone's successes over the years. That spirit of connection and love and caring for one another is what makes times like these hurt even more. This is and will continue to be a very difficult time. But know that it's not the end, rather, though it's hard to see past the now, it's truly going to be an incredible start for new and fresh life.

That's why I'm laying out some of my tools and best-kept secrets in professional life and careers that have helped me along the way. I may not be able to find you your dream job and I can't promise that I'll be able to get you a job at all, but my promise is this: you’ve got a friend in me, and I want to be a resource to help if I can.

Above all, remember: being laid off as a result of workforce reduction is not your fault. You did nothing wrong. It favors no one and it absolutely does not assign value on you as a person or your character. Period.

CHECKLIST & RESOURCES:

1. GET IT IN WRITING: Make sure you retain a letter of unemployment from your employer. It's one thing to share you've been part of a workforce reduction, it's another to have it on paper in Company letterhead.
2. YOUR HR TOOLS: Disney is offering care options for employees affected by COVID-19 severances. Your HR self-serve resources and tools are being made available to you for a total of 90 days following your separation date. This includes confirming the date(s) of your final paycheck(s) and don't forget those unused Comp Tickets over the years if you have accrued any.
3. YOUR BENEFITS: Take the time to review your health benefits so you can compare what you have now to a new plan to come. This also includes taking the time to review your 401(k) and pension plan options. Connect with your HR team to see what next steps make most sense for you, whether it's consolidating your current plan into a new one, letting it sit to invest in its current plan (if you qualify) or as a final and last resort option, cashing it out.
4. REGISTER FOR UNEMPLOYMENT: The CARES Act, Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, is actually lumped into the application process now in most states, like Florida. The State of Florida application site is here: https://www.floridajobs.org/Reemployment-Assistance-Service-Center/reemployment-assistance/claimants/apply-for-benefits
5. UNION CAST: It's important to note for Disney cast members, if you are part of the Union, there are a number of details that have yet to be settled. Keep an eye on your union communication channels to make sure you are the first to get any new information coming out of on-going conversations happening right now.
6. THE NEW YOU: Update your LinkedIn and Resume asap - take your time with it and make multiple versions. I would recommend making one generic resume and then make focused versions based on specific fields of interests if you have those lined up. And it's okay if you don't yet. When you start applying for focused roles, keep in mind, making focused resumes -- this comes with time -- practice makes perfect and it takes a decent investment in time in this space to make yourself stand out from others doing the same, applying for the same roles.

Here are a few of my favorite places to go for Résumé help and concepting along with additional resources for those looking for help as well as those who are looking to help others:

• LinkedIn offers a free resume builder built into its app using your profile
• Indeed.com has an innovative resume builder here: https://www.indeed.com/create-resume
• My all-time favorite place to build creative resumes and to create in general is Canva. Canva.com has a free subscription option where you can create and build your resume from pre-built templates. It also is a great place to build presentations, business cards, social media fliers and more. Good luck here, but most of all - have fun.
• Load up your resume with powerful active verbs throughout and make sure everything is in the correct tense. Here's a great go-to list of powerful verbs to use in your resume: https://www.themuse.com/advice/185-powerful-verbs-that-will-make-your-resume-awesome
• Google actually offers a very innovative and immersive resource hub page to help grow your skills, career and business ideas: https://grow.google/events/
• Jobs for the 28K: Created literally overnight this week by my friend and former Disney Parks co-hort Jon Carey, he's crafted an employer crowd-sourcing site where folks will be posting their jobs specifically focused for individuals leaving Disney, impacted by this particular reduction in workforce: https://www.jobsforthe28k.com/?fbclid=IwAR2IoFryXh03shXWf8gkXBWjzvqn4h8vdQUnxv-Zx3SQrR880Mb0FnpDjLI
• Finally the Cast Member Pantry is a organization created to help Walt Disney World Cast Members in need. Go here for more info, including how you can both food and funds to their efforts: https://www.facebook.com/castmemberpantry

In addition to the above resources, I'm happy to receive emails from friends and former colleagues at Disney to help critique résumés and offer guidance and be a sounding board.

Please don't hesitate to reach out if you feel led to do so at the email below.

Much love,

-Tony | [email protected]