"Employers will have the responsibility to call the workers ... for their job openings for their positions or similar positions," said Geoconda Argüello-Kline, secretary-treasurer for the Culinary Local 226, which fought to get the bill passed. Now she and the union, its members, and the resort community are grappling with its fallout.

One person waiting for that day is Daniel Serwenowski, a longtime banquet server for Station Casinos. He told State of Nevada that it's frustrating to see other people going back to work but not him.

"Having no work for 13 months this whole pandemic, I'm ready to go back to work right away," he said. "As soon as they call me I'm there. I'll be there the next day if they need me to."

Serwenowski said he's thankful for the new law and the fairer shake it provides out-of-work Nevadans.

"This is a victory for the workers who have lost their jobs and for the Culinary union that has been there to support us through the whole thing," he said.