In a media conference call conducted on July 27, Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Commissioner David Ekern announced that about full-time 600 VDOT employees would be getting a notice of layoff, as the agency enters the second round of staffing reductions. He explained that these layoffs are an element of the plan announced last year to addresses a $2.6 billion revenue shortfall over the next six years. He stressed that public safety and highway maintenance are priorities and won't be affected by the cuts.
In the first phase of layoffs initiated in June 2009, about 450 part-time salaried employees were given notice.
The second phase is designed to reduce VDOT’s current level of full-time employees from 8,450 to 7,500 by July 1, 2010.
This phase will affect work units across the agency, but is concentrated in the functional areas of preliminary engineering and construction–including environmental process, project development, material inspection and rights-of-way. Ekern estimates that then layoffs constitute about 20 percent of the staff in these work units.
“The cutbacks in these work units reflect the 36 percent reduction in Virginia’s construction program, also brought on by reduced revenues,” said Ekern.
Other large employee groups affected will include VDOT’s equipment shops as the agency closes more than half of these facilities, due to less equipment needed, and “improvements in maintenance practices.” According to Ekern, VDOT’s equipment inventory will be reduced from 8,600 pieces to about 7,100-7,400 pieces.
Additionally, Dulles Toll Road employees will be affected, as the agency prepares to transfer the facility to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Oct. 1.
“It is very difficult to make these types of decisions that impact our employees, and we do not take them lightly,” said Ekern. “However, we have no choice but to alter our staffing based upon major revenue reductions and long-term changes to the transportation industry.”
The third and final wave of employee reductions needed to reach the agency’s staffing target–which will affect supervisory personnel and overhead–will be announced in December 2009.
Ekern pointed out that these initial layoff notifications do not necessarily mean the end of an employee’s career with VDOT. While many employees will receive layoff notices, the agency will use vacancies as placement opportunities for affected employees, and those who wish to leave the agency or retire can exchange places with affected employees in similar positions who are designated for layoff.
VDOT estimates that of the 600 employees will receive initial layoff notifications, but fewer than 300 people will be separated on the designated layoff dates of Sept. 9, or Oct. 24 because a placement for them could not be found.
By district, the layoffs include:
*Central Office, Richmond: 82 people
*Bristol: 75
*Salem: 60
*Lynchburg: 70
*Richmond: 70
*Hampton Roads: 50
*Fredericksburg: 45
*Culpeper: 45
*Staunton: 48
*Northern Virginia: 50
Ekern was quick to point out that all current projects scheduled for delivery under the 6-Year Plan will not be affected by the reductions, and will be done on time.
Cost reductions over the next six years include eliminating 800 projects representing $2 billion in the construction program; $391 million from administrative and support programs, including the staffing reductions; and $348 million in reductions to the maintenance and operations program (ferry services, interstate maintenance, grass cutting and most recently, the closing of 18 rest areas.)
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