Page 22 - South Mississippi Living - June, 2020

COAST NOTE
ANSWERING the CALL Scarlet Pearl Call Center Aids in
Processing Unemployment Claims
story and photos courtesy of Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort exterior photo by Jason Mullins
Since Mississippi casinos were ordered to shut down in mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort had been conducting call-in meetings every week with over 800 employees that were furloughed. Much of the discussion during these calls had been about how di cult it is for people to get through to MDES (Mississippi
Department of Employment Security).
During a social phone call between longtime friends Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort CEO, LuAnn
Pappas, and Frank Bordeaux, Vice President of BXS Insurance in Biloxi, the casino’s insurance provider (the two were checking on one another and conversing about the world in crisis), the subject came up about how many associates and customers were having trouble getting through on the phone to MDES for unemployment claims. Pappas then asked Bordeaux if he thought the Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort Call Center could help facilitate the mountain of calls pouring into MDES and could he make it happen.
Bordeaux was excited about Pappas’ idea, made some calls to his contacts in Jackson the next day, and the rest is history. Employees within the casino LUANN PAPPAS, already have key MDES requirements, and with thorough MDES training
CEO Scarlet Pearl on Thursday, April 30 and Friday, May 1, the team was ready to start taking Casino Resort calls on Saturday, May 2. The idea sparked between friends to provide
assistance took less than a week – from concept to execution.
“Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort will not just sit on the sidelines when our community is in need,” said Pappas. “Scarlet Pearl is proud of our ‘caring culture’ that serves customers, associates and
the Mississippi Gulf Coast community. Helping MDES accomplishes all three and this is the southern way.”
The Governor’s o ce and MDES were elated about the o er of help during these challenging times. “This is an example of Mississippians helping Mississippians,” Governor Tate Reeves said.
The call center is sta ed by 30 employees of Scarlet Pearl Casino Hotel Reservation and Casino Host departments and operates seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 12 a.m. The setup and employees working the call center for MDES are at the expense of Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort. This endeavor is the rst private business in Mississippi to lend services to the state in this way.
22 | June 2020 www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living
Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort employees take calls for MDES.