Reopen NYC: Mayor de Blasio to furlough 9,000+ city managers for 1 week

ByEyewitness News WABC logo

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Mayor announces furloughs for NYC managers

More than 9,000 employees are affected.

NEW YORK (WABC) -- Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Wednesday that he was forced to take further action due to no additional funding from the federal government.

The mayor said that managerial and underrepresented employees at New York City agencies would be furloughed for five days.

The days would take place between October and March.

"Again, something that's very painful to have to announce as real human consequences, but it is necessary, and we continue our conversations with the labor unions we continue our conversations with Albany trying to get relief, we don't have results yet, we need to keep finding savings to keep urging us to give us a chance to get to something better than layoffs no one wants to see layoffs, but unfortunately they're still on the table," Mayor de Blasio said.

The furlough saves the city $21 million.

"Look what would really solve this, a federal stimulus and it's shocking that it still hasn't happened, and hope continues to dim for anything in the next few months, and then long term borrowing Albany I continue to say it is a straightforward time-honored option, it is something makes so much sense to stop this uncertainty, and we're going to keep fighting for that as well," he said.

One week ago, the mayor announced a week of furloughs for Mayor's Office employees, including himself.

That action, in addition to savings from the adopted budget, will represent a 12% cut to the FY21 Mayor's Office budget.

The policy affects 495 mayoral staff members, who will have to take one week of unpaid leave at some point between October and March of next year.

De Blasio said the city is facing an enormous budget challenge, a $9 billion toll on city revenue, and has already cut $7 billion from the budget between February and the Fiscal Year 2021 Adopted Budget announced in June.

The city continues to work with labor groups to find savings and prevent layoffs.

The Administration has made the following moves to make the city fiscally responsible and prepared for adversity:

--Increased reserve levels every year and increased general reserve to record levels

--Created first ever Capital Stabilization Reserve

--Achieved billions of dollars in savings every year, even when revenue was strong

--At the height of the pandemic, achieved the largest savings plan of this Administration ($5.8 billion in FY20 and FY21 and $1.7 billion recurring)

--Saw its bond rating increased last year

--Created New York City's first-ever Rainy Day Fund

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