Announcement of Planned Action

Feb 20, 2024

As a result of an unforeseeable 420% increase in vehicle insurance premiums, ZENA DELIVERY & LOGISTICS, LLC operating at 500 Hudson Valley Avenue, New Windsor, New York 12553 will run its last routes on March 5, 2024. As a result, we will permanently close our operations on March 6, 2024. Please note, we were unable to provide more notice of this action because the circumstances were not reasonably foreseeable. We are providing as much notice as is practicable given the rapid pace at which this situation developed. 

Specifically, in September 2023, the Company’s insurance carrier provided renewal quotes for its auto and general liability policies. Those renewal quotes represented a 420% increase in what the Company had been paying, making it impossible for the Company to continue as a viable business venture and be insured by its current insurance carrier. Upon receiving the notice of the 420% increase in premiums, the Company immediately engaged insurance brokers and other third parties to obtain competitive insurance policies. In November 2023, the Company was able to secure a 30-day extension from its insurance carrier to pay its premium at its original rate. While the Company continued to engage insurance brokers and other third parties to obtain competitive insurance policies, to date, the Company has not been able to secure that coverage and, therefore, regretfully, the Company is providing this notice of closure.

Approximately 90 employees will be impacted. This closure is expected to be permanent. The confirmed date of closure will be March 6, 2024.

We regret to inform you that your position will be eliminated on March 6th, 2024. Your company provided benefits will end on March 6, 2024. Through this transition, the Company will be assisting existing employees in obtaining interviews with other Delivery Service Partners at the DYO1 New Windsor station who remain and work through the effective date of the closure, March 6, 2024. 

As you know, this job does not have a job bumping system—that is, employees will not be able to displace more junior employees out of their job positions as a result of this closure.

You are also hereby notified that, as a result of your employment loss, you may be eligible to receive job retraining, re-employment services, or other assistance with obtaining new employment from the New York State Department of Labor or its workforce partners upon your termination. You may also be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits after your last day of employment. Whenever possible, the New York State Department of Labor will contact your employer to arrange to provide additional information regarding these benefits and services to you through workshops, interviews, and other activities that will be scheduled prior to the time your employment ends. If your job has already ended, you can also access reemployment information and apply for unemployment insurance benefits on the Department’s website or you may use the contact information provided on the website or visit one of the Department’s local offices for further information and assistance.

Please note all final payroll direct deposits or checks will be issued on Friday, March 15 (per our pay cycle) and will include all remaining PTO.

If you have any questions or want additional information concerning this matter, please contact our Human Resource Team before March 5, 2024:

Jessica Dietze at jessica.dietze@teamzena.com (845-670-2115)
Erin Piazza erin.piazza@teamzena.com (845-779-3833)

NOTICES:

You will receive the above notice via First Class Mail to the address on your ADP account, as well as through our ZENA Announcement Room in CHIME (link to this website). As stated above, ZENA will be assisting ALL EMPLOYEES in obtaining interviews with other Delivery Service Partners at the DYO1 New Windsor station who remain and work through the effective date of the closure, March 6, 2024. 

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:

What happens if I leave before March 5th and try to get a job with another DSP at DYO1? If you decide to leave before March 5, 2024 and try to join another DSP, it will delay your start date. Why? Because you will need to start the Amazon onboarding process from the very beginning. The DSP will need to run a new background check and you will need to take another drug test, which will delay your onboarding and start date. On average, this process might take up to fifteen (15) days depending on the background check company.

What happens if I stay with ZENA until the last day of March 5, 2024? If you stay employed with ZENA, Amazon will support you in transitioning to another DSP without having to do a background check or a drug test. This is the fastest way to get hired with another DSP. This process is purposefully designed to ensure zero to minimal interruption as you look to start work with another DSP.

How will ZENA assist me in securing an interview with other DSPs at DYO1? Fill out the form below and we will share it with all DYO1 DSPs starting on Friday, February 23, 2024. This will allow most of you to decide what you want to do and fill out the form if you are interested in potential future employment with another DSP at the DYO1 station. Once we share the list with the DSPs, it is up to each of them to reach out to you for employment opportunities. You can also inquire about job opportunities yourself by visiting DSP desks you’re interested in at that time. Please note that DSPs will not be able to activate you on their roster until after ZENA runs its last routes on March 5, 2024.

Can ZENA guarantee me work after March 5, 2024 with other DSPs? ZENA cannot guarantee anybody future work with other DSPs. Each DSP has individual driver needs (Step Vans, CDV, EDV, etc.) and route targets to meet. Therefore, it is up to other DSPs to offer you employment or not — again, depending on their needs. Some DSPs might need more drivers than others.