La Flor Dominicana Lays Off Half Its Sales Reps Due to Coronavirus

La Flor Dominicana has laid off four of its eight sales representatives due to the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.

Last week, the company laid off its sales representatives—which the company refers to as “sales managers”—in the northeast, southeast, midwest and southwest territories. The company’s other sales representatives are handling these territories on a temporary basis.

“With the uncertain and unstable economic environment being experienced by the Covid-19 Pandemic we have enacted a partial sales force reduction,” said Jon Carney, vp of sales, in a statement to halfwheel. “We will maintain a strong business and service position for our retail partners and anticipate the return to a full strength sales force as our country and industry overcome these new and ever-developing challenges.”

The company says that once things improve, the company will “reestablish sales managers in these markets.”

With recent stay-at-home orders, more than 75 percent of the American population is under stay-at-home orders, issuing people to stay at home unless they work at essential businesses, need essential supplies or medical service. Those orders have extended to cigar shops around the country, many of which have been forced to turn into mail order only shops, or in some cases, close their doors completely due to local orders.

Like pretty every other notable factory in the Dominican Republic, La Flor Dominicana closed its factory last week due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Editor’s Note: This story originally stated, erroneously, that the company declined to comment on whether it would rehire the affect people back in their same positions. That question was never asked of the company.