Council Members Question Layoff of One
City Administrator Marc Dashield gave new details on a one-person layoff plan Monday, explaining that it was really laying off a title.
Dashield said the title in question had been eliminated and the individual holding the title was transferred to another position, but still paid at the old title's rate. The layoff plan would save $16,000 by adjusting the compensation.
"It opens up the title that the person is in," Dashield said.
Councilman Adrian O. Mapp questioned any layoff plan involving just one employee.
"It doesn't send the right message," he said. "This doesn't look good."
Mapp questioned the cost savings and noted the individual's longevity with the city.
Mapp said he was concerned about what the city was "opening ourselves up to" by seeming to be punitive to the individual.
The discussion was complicated by the need to keep personnel matters confidential and to limit comments to the title and not the individual holding the title. But Councilwoman Linda Carter asked why, if the action was being taken to close out a position, it had not been stated as such. In addition, Carter asked whether similar action was being taken for other unfilled positions.
Dashield said the discussion would continue later in closed session.
Last year, the council approved another single-person layoff plan in conjunction with the elimination of the post of police chief. In that instance, former Chief Edward Santiago stayed on with the Police Division as a captain.
--Bernice Paglia
Dashield said the title in question had been eliminated and the individual holding the title was transferred to another position, but still paid at the old title's rate. The layoff plan would save $16,000 by adjusting the compensation.
"It opens up the title that the person is in," Dashield said.
Councilman Adrian O. Mapp questioned any layoff plan involving just one employee.
"It doesn't send the right message," he said. "This doesn't look good."
Mapp questioned the cost savings and noted the individual's longevity with the city.
Mapp said he was concerned about what the city was "opening ourselves up to" by seeming to be punitive to the individual.
The discussion was complicated by the need to keep personnel matters confidential and to limit comments to the title and not the individual holding the title. But Councilwoman Linda Carter asked why, if the action was being taken to close out a position, it had not been stated as such. In addition, Carter asked whether similar action was being taken for other unfilled positions.
Dashield said the discussion would continue later in closed session.
Last year, the council approved another single-person layoff plan in conjunction with the elimination of the post of police chief. In that instance, former Chief Edward Santiago stayed on with the Police Division as a captain.
--Bernice Paglia
posted by Bernice at 6:19 AM
1 Comments:
Laying off a position title with no one in that position sounds like a dog and pony act. I never heard anything so absurd. Why can't the Administration just remove the position from the budget.
There's got to be more to it.
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