As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the City of London is taking more workers off its payroll.
The city announced on Thursday afternoon that approximately 200 full-time staff would be placed on temporary unpaid Declared Emergency Leave. The move will allow the affected workers to qualify for the federal government's Canada Emergency Response Benefit. It also protects their jobs and allows then to continue to access their benefits.
"COVID-19 and Provincial orders have required reductions in service and a move to minimal day-to-day operations. With this continuing, the staffing needs of the organization have been impacted and workforce adjustments are being made to reflect the current needs," the city said in a statement released Thursday. "Financial impacts related to COVID-19 have been estimated at between $23 and $33 million."
Since the pandemic began, the city has shut down all of its facilities, cancelled programs, and declared a state of emergency. These responses have left little to no work for hundreds of employees.
“With the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 and Provincial Emergency Orders, we’ve been delivering essential services and minimal operations, and we remain committed to that,” said City Manager Lynne Livingstone. “Until we reach a point where we can return to full services and operations, we are faced with reducing our staffing levels temporarily. This is a difficult decision, but this is necessary.”
In early April, the city announced layoffs and deferred hirings of roughly 1,100 employees, including community centre staff, recreation/sports program and neighbourhood activities support workers, aquatics staff members, parks maintenance, golf course employees, as well as roads, water and sewers, and facilities seasonal staff. Last Friday, it was announced that about 190 seasonal temporary and casual employees were having their start dates pushed back or were being placed on temporary unpaid leave and contracts for 31 student employees were being cancelled.
