Sodexo to lay off more than 700 workers as contract expires

Pitt’s outgoing dining contractor, Sodexo, will lay off hundreds of dining workers by the end of its contract on June 30, according to a filing with the state Department of Labor and Industry.

Meredith Rosenberg, a spokesperson for Compass Group, which will succeed Sodexo as Pitt’s dining contractor, confirmed all workers will have the opportunity to be rehired as part of the transition between contractors.

Sodexo’s notice, required by the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, said 708 workers would be let go in all. Between 400 and 500 workers have already been laid off due to restricted dining hours caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The University previously worked with the company as its contractor for 29 years, with its most recent 10-year contract ending this year. Pitt announced last month that it selected Compass Group, a British multinational food service company, as its new single-source dining contractor beginning July 1.