Norwalk cuts 5% of workforce
NORWALK — Norwalk saved nearly $525,000 by cutting 5 percent of its workforce, partially through its recent early retirement incentive program.
Oct. 9 was the last day of work for the 44 city employees who took the city’s Voluntary Retirement Incentive. The program was approved by the Common Council back in August as a cost-savings measure to lessen the potential financial impact from the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to the 44 positions vacated by the retirements, Mayor Harry Rilling and his team reviewed 37 other recent and anticipated vacancies and determined at least 16 roles could be eliminated, according to a news release from the city. The team also determined the Health Department needs two more roles, leading to a new decrease of 14 city positions or 5 percent of the work force.
According to Josh Morgan, a spokesperson for the city, five administrative assistants, three library staff, three custodians, an accountant, a junior engineer, a laborer, a cashier and a purchasing officer are among the roles which won’t be replaced.
The Health Department will be adding on an assistant health director and a public health program assistant.
The remaining roles will be filled in a lower salary bracket. The new hires will also be part of a defined contribution retirement plan rather than a defined benefit pension which will save the city money. Cost savings may also vary depending on how long roles are left vacant.
“The Voluntary Retirement Incentive proved to be a success. We were able to save taxpayer dollars, streamline the workforce, and adjust positions to meet the demands of our
residents and businesses,” Rilling said in a statement. “This Incentive gave us the opportunity to review vacancies and positions across all departments. I appreciate the hard work and collaboration between the Unions and City officials. It wasn’t easy, but the result is a win for our community.”
Nine of the employees who took the early retirement deal were from the city’s Department of Public Works. The DPW lost the most employees, followed by the police department, which lost seven civilian employees, and Recreation and Parks which also lost seven people.
New jobs will also be updated to better reflect the community’s needs. For example, an administrative assistant position in the Building Department will be transitioned to a permit coordinator who will perform some administrative duties but also assist the public in navigating the permitting process. Employees from Code Enforcement, the Comptroller’s Office, the Health Department, the Legal Department, Information Technology, the Norwalk Public Library, Management and Budgets, Planning and Zoning and Transportation, Mobility and Parking also took the deal, along with a civilian employee from the fire department.
“The Unions came to the table and clearly understood the Voluntary Retirement Program was good for its veteran employees, but also their entire membership. This Incentive will hopefully allow us to avoid furloughs and layoffs during these uncertain times,” Rilling said. “We put the needs of the community first, made some difficult decisions, and the end result is a win for Norwalk taxpayers.”