The Morning Report
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Hundreds of city employees whose jobs may be affected by the city’s budget cutbacks received layoff notices last week.
The notices jumpstart the process of vacating around 200 filled positions eliminated from the city’s budget in December. People currently in those positions and some people outside those positions were notified that a workforce shuffle could put them out of a job.
Here’s how the shuffle works: Employees in one of the 200 positions are not necessarily out of a job. In some cases, an employee could end up taking the job of another city employee who has lower seniority in a labor group. Both employees in one of the 200 positions and employees who could be bumped were given the layoff notices.
At this point, it’s still unclear how many city employees will be laid off through the process. Some people could end up leaving voluntarily, retiring or transferring to a vacant position in another department.
“The only thing we know now is that they won’t be employed in the job they had,” said Michael Zucchet, head of the city’s white-collar union. “Those (200) positions have been terminated, but not the body that filled them.”
The city wants to complete its layoffs by March 1. Zucchet’s labor group posted more information (and opinion) about the situation here after finishing its negotiations with the city Feb. 3.
— KEEGAN KYLE