Politics & Government
City Of Boulder To Furlough 737 Employees Amid Coronavirus Spread
Boulder faces lost revenue of at least $28 million amid the new coronavirus pandemic, city officials said.
BOULDER, CO — The City of Boulder announced Tuesday it will furlough 737 employees amid the new coronavirus pandemic. City officials anticipate lost revenue of at least $28 million — nearly 10 percent of annual revenue — since the stay-at-home order went into effect.
The furloughed workers include 175 'standard' employees and 562 seasonal and temporary employees, officials said.
The last day of work for the furloughed employees will be April 19. Unpaid administrative leave will begin April 20 and remain in effect until June 28. The city will pay 100 percent of benefit eligible employees’ healthcare insurance until June 30. Decisions to recall staff to active service, extend the furlough, or layoff staff will be made by June 1, officials said.
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“Like many of our local companies, the city is facing very serious financial impacts as a result of the coronavirus pandemic,” Boulder City Manager Jane Brautigam said in a statement.
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“We are significantly reducing non-personnel expenses and canceling or delaying capital improvement projects, but the reality is that the financial impact requires immediate furloughs and may require future layoffs. We are assessing the situation every day; my heart goes out to our employees who have dedicated their service to this community.
The city will "continuously evaluate the financial and personnel impacts" of the COVID-19 pandemic and make changes as needed before June 1, Brautigam said.
“This is an unprecedented situation,” she said. “Unlike a natural disaster or past economic downturns, the duration of this crisis is unknown; the pandemic is impacting every community across the country. It is creating very real financial hardships for businesses and individuals, and there is incredible uncertainty about public health outcomes and our ability to get back to normal.”
Furloughed city employees were notified Tuesday, city officials said.
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