State Employee Layoffs Could Begin This Week

Time is running out for the state and the state labor union to come to a concession agreement in order to avoid a massive amount of layoffs. Gov. Dannel Malloy is still seeking $700 million in union concessions for the next fiscal year. Both union and nonunion employees can be affected by the mass layoff.

More than 1,000 employees could be handed their pink slips by the end of the week, according to WTNH.

Up to 4,200 layoffs may become necessary to help close the budget gap.

Malloy is also seeking $869 million in union concessions for the 2018-2019 fiscal year.

Savings for the plan are projected to be more than $80 million for the first wave of layoffs should they become necessary and $400 million if all the layoffs are completed.

More than 500 prison employees, 400 judicial branch workers and 300 in the Department of Transportation and Department of Mental Health and Addiction. The Department of Children and Families would face 300 layoffs, the University of Connecticut nearly 200 and another 158 at the UConn health center.

Compounding Connecticut’s budget woes are a massive reduction in income tax receipts. The drop adds about $600 million to next fiscal year’s budget and $864 million to the following year. Together the biennial budget deficit is about $5 billion.

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