100 City Workers Threatened Over Hurricane Irma

MIAMI BEACH, FL — This urban resort island was operating under a state of emergency in the initial days after Hurricane Irma swept through. Many residents still did not have electricity when they came back from a mandatory evacuation and city officials were struggling to get the tourist-dependent economy back up and running as quickly as possible. But slightly less than 5 percent of the city's 2,100 workers did not show up for work when they were ordered to do so and now those mostly 100 "essential" workers may have a price to pay — their jobs.

"I write this letter to inform you of the city's intent to terminate your employment with the city of Miami Beach," Maria Alpizar, the city's assistant director penned in a letter to the 100 employees that went out on Thursday.

"As a public employee one of our primary duties are to protect the citizens and businesses of our community and you are expected to report to work when scheduled and/or needed," the letter continued, noting that the employees would have a chance to make their case to save their jobs in a third-floor human resources conference room at Miami Beach City Hall. (For more hurricane news or local news from Florida, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Miami Beach Patch, and click here to find your local Florida Patch. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

All Miami Beach employees were instructed to report for work on Sept. 13 unless instructed to do so earlier.

In a statement released late Friday night, Miami Beach City Manager Jimmy L. Morales said that the city's 90,000 residents have a "reasonable expectation" that city employees would be ready for work before and after a storm. He said that the vast majority of workers who received letters were deemed "essential" employees who are needed in case of an emergency like Hurricane Irma.

"It is not our intention to terminate any employee who was facing a life safety situation or demonstrates an inability to return to work. For these employees, the letter is rescinded and no discipline is given," according to Morales. "We anticipate that most employees will not be terminated, although some other form of discipline may be appropriate."

Morales said that the majority of Miami Beach employees did return to work as expected. "I’m very proud of our 2,000 plus employees who came back ready to work hard and demonstrated great dedication to our city," he said.

But Michael Braverman, an attorney representing Miami Beach workers, told Local 10 News that he objected to the city's handling of the employees.

"They impugned the character of every one of those employees," Braverman told the news crew. "Everyone knows what that letter means. The inference that’s being drawn by the city is that 'you didn’t fulfill your job. You let down the citizens of Miami beach and your’re the one that should be somehow disciplined for this.'"

Ocean Drive comes to life after Hurricane Irma as businesses take down their shutters. Photo by Paul Scicchitano.