Gloria Waller was among those who emerged from the Oregon Employment Department on Thursday afternoon carrying blue folders. She is one of the 37 employees of The Mill Casino-Hotel whose positions were eliminated this week.

“I’ve never been laid off before. To me it’s a big shock,” said the former swing-shift Blackjack dealer, who had been with The Mill Casino for only six weeks.

“It’s the economy,” she said.

A casino press release blamed the layoffs on economic conditions and not needing as many employees as anticipated following a hotel addition. The Mill’s communications coordinator, Ray Doering, said it was the first time in his four years at the casino there had been layoffs. With more than 500 employees, the cutback amounted to 7 percent of its workforce. Ten of the employees have been offered other positions at the casino-hotel or may remain on part-time or on-call status, according to casino officials.

The Mill Casino-Hotel made arrangements for its laid-off employees to meet with people at the Oregon Employment Department. There were two meeting times scheduled at the North Bend building Thursday. Several former workers left the building in groups carrying the blue folders, but most were silent about their job loss and prospects.

“Sorry, I can’t. I’ll lose my money,” one woman said as she got into her car.

Waller moved from Reno, Nev., three years ago, where she resided for 30 years and where her three grown children still live. Since then, she and her boyfriend, who is semi-retired, had been buying and selling houses and running a vending machine business, until she was employed by the casino.

The Coos Bay resident said she really hopes they can stay in the area, but she’s not sure if that will be possible. She said she can only exist a couple of months on unemployment. Besides a little retail experience years ago, all she has ever done is work a gaming table. The casino gave her no indication of future rehire and the nearest other casino is in Florence, more than an hour drive away. Waller said she wouldn’t consider that because of gas prices.

“With Macy’s and all that here, I’m hoping to get something to get by,” she said. “But it’s been years and the money is not the same.”