Pandemic Fallout: Orange County Considers Layoffs, Buyouts

ORANGE COUNTY, NY — Orange County officials are considering offering temporary layoffs and severance incentives to employees to help mitigate the economic damage of the new coronavirus pandemic to the county's budget.

"As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Orange County government and all local governments across the nation and state of New York are dealing with an unanticipated financial crisis," Human Resources Commissioner Steven Gross wrote to the county's employee associations.

The county legislature's Ways and Means Committee and the Personnel and Compensation Committee will hold a joint meeting at 3:30 p.m. Monday to discuss the issue. Check here for a link. The full legislature is expected to vote May 21.

“This is a negotiated agreement between our union and the County in an effort to reduce costs as an alternative to layoffs,” said Orange County spokesman Justin Rodriguez.

On the agenda are a voluntary temporary layoff program and a voluntary separation incentive.

The terms of the voluntary separation incentive are:
• $10,000 for employees with IO up to 20 years of service.
• $12,500 for employees with 20 up to 30 years of service.
• $15,000 for employees with more than 30 years of service.

The voluntary temporary layoff program will be available to eligible employees from June 1 through July 31. A request can be made for one or both months. Anyone who takes one or two months voluntarily can return afterward with no change in assignment, shift, department or seniority, unless mutually agreed to.

All employees are invited to apply, however, the County reserves the right to identify positions eligible to participate in the Voluntary Temporary Layoff program based on the needs of the Department. Positions critical to health, public safety and public welfare will be comprehensively reviewed by each department.

People in critical positions have a greater chance of being denied, and Valley View, Health Department, Emergency Services and Probation are excluded.