That means layoffs of about 45 employees will begin this afternoon for the denomination’s national staff. The plan is that workers losing their jobs will be notified their supervisors between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. today, with more information to be released after those notifications are complete about what ministry areas have been affected.
The layoffs are part of an $11.8 million budget cut, as the PC(USA)’s mission budget drops from $93.8 million this year to $82 million for 2011 and $80.5 million in 2012.
The council discussed the budget cuts in closed session on May 13, but it’s not clear how detailed the information was that the council’s staff provided. Joey Bailey, the denomination’s chief financial officer, provided an overview of the financial pressures on the denomination in a 45-minute open session.
Council member Clark Cowden, executive presbyter of the Presbytery of San Diego, asked Linda Valentine, the council’s executive director, before the vote whether the council will see a list of the positions affected once the employees being laid off are notified. Valentine responded that her staff will make a list of those positions available once all affected have been informed.
Several times, council members made note of the difficulty of their decision, praying for the employees losing their jobs; for those on the national staff who survive the layoffs; and for those who must deliver the bad news.
