DENVER — The City of Denver is trying to avoid the word “layoffs” when it comes to impending budget cuts. So instead, they’re telling some hourly on-call employees they may have their hours reduced to zero.
"The reduction in hours of operation and programs will affect the number of hours worked by many on-call, some to the point where they may not receive any hours," a statement from Denver Parks and Recreation Director Jolon Clark read in-part. "The final decisions on hours for any individual position have not been made yet."
They’re not calling it layoffs, but it definitely sounds like some people may not have jobs anymore.
Denver Parks and Rec told 9NEWS everyone from front desk workers to coaches to lifeguards are all considered “on-call employees” that could be impacted by these cuts.
"The number of hours an on-call works can vary from individual to individual and by the season," the statement read. "Some on-calls can support multiple functions, some may only teach one class all year long."
The department is working to cut $4.3 million to help the city pay for the migrant crisis. Mayor Mike Johnston said Monday it hasn’t been decided which jobs will have their hours cut and by how much.
"We have not made any final decisions on cuts other than the ones that we announced already," Johnston said. "All of our departments, all of our agencies, we’re going to have to find a way to prioritize."
When Johnston announced earlier this month that the city would cut budgets, he warned hourly employees would lose some work. Now we know they could lose all their work.
The initial round of announced budget cuts impacted the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and Parks and Rec Department, cutting an estimated $5 million from their budgets.
"These direct impacts on DMV do not involve layoffs, nor do Parks and Rec involve layoffs of our current employees," Johnston said on Fe. 9. "We will have hourly workers that will have fewer hours. If we reduce your hours and you’re an on-call worker, that’s true. We will have on-call workers that we won’t hire for the summer that we will have hired otherwise. This does reduce new hires that we would’ve brought on."
Employees who have their hours reduced to the point where they aren’t earning enough money are still allowed to apply for unemployment benefits in the same way as if they were laid off. Information posted on the state's website indicates they would be eligible to receive benefits.
The mayor also hinted Monday that the city will be reducing the services offered to newly arriving migrants this week, though he didn’t offer any specifics. Johnston has said the city is $180 million short on its budget because of the money migrants arriving to Colorado have cost the city.
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