COVID-19 Update: City Announces Staff Reassignments and Temporary Layoffs

As a result of extended facility closures and the suspension of non-essential services, the City of Greater Sudbury is taking the difficult step of temporarily suspending the employment of 322 seasonal and part-time staff in affected areas.

Most of the affected staff provide services in recreation programs, parks, libraries, and as school crossing guards.

City Council has provided direction to follow staffing plans that recognize the longer-term nature of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the temporary layoffs, those plans include reassigning full-time and regular part-time staff from non-essential areas to sustain essential and critical services, and to support much needed community initiatives, such as increased programs and facilities for homeless and vulnerable populations.

“Like so many other municipalities, we are facing complex and unprecedented decisions on how to continue to deliver essential and critical services to the community,” said City of Greater Sudbury Chief Administrative Officer Ed Archer. “Dedicated City staff are the backbone of our municipal operations, and this is not a decision we took lightly. We are taking every step possible to redeploy employees where we need them, and very much look forward to welcoming them back to work.”

Support is available to affected employees to guide them through the application process to access available financial support programs from senior levels of government.

“This is a difficult situation, but these temporary layoffs are just that – temporary,” continued Archer. “In consultation with union leadership, we are working to protect the health and safety of our employees, keep as many people employed as possible, and continue to provide essential and critical services to the community. We have a dedicated and hard-working team at the City of Greater Sudbury, and we will continue to support our workforce during these exceptional times.”

For City updates related to COVID-19, visit www.greatersudbury.ca/covid.