Oilers Entertainment Group to launch employee financial assistance program through NHL pause

The Oilers Entertainment Group has announced it will be giving financial support to nearly 1,650 part-time staff at Rogers Place that have been affected by the NHL season pause.

The NHL announced the pause Thursday as a response to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

On Saturday, the OEG said it would be rolling out an assistance program to top-up EI payments.

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“All part-time staff affected by a temporary halt in our operations will receive financial payment to bridge them between their maximum EI benefits and their regular average earnings for remaining regular-season games,” OEG president of business operations and CEO Tom Anselmi said in a news release Saturday.

The organization said that it would be donating any excess food and beverage inventory from Rogers Place that is perishable to Edmonton’s Food Bank.

When the NHL announced the pause, the Oilers said it will be reaching out to ticket holders, partners and other affected parties with more information. The organization has yet to outline the timeline for what that will look like.

–With files from Global News’ Kirby Bourne