City of Pawtucket to Participate in Third Round of Workshare Program to continue Cost Saving Budget Initiatives
City Hall to Close to the Public on Fridays except for Voting
PAWTUCKET – The City of Pawtucket will be instituting a third round of the Workshare Program after the completion of the second round in the end of 2020. The City, having offset $1 million from the two previous WorkShare rounds, anticipates offsetting another $300 thousand in taxpayer dollars.
The Workshare program has been effective in offsetting the budget deficit caused by the pandemic. The City continues to act in a fiscally conscious manner while providing high quality services to the community during the COVID-19 pandemic. This program continues to be supported by both Local 1012 and Local 3960.
“The pandemic has hit all of the communities in Rhode Island hard,” said Mayor Donald R. Grebien. “Workshare has provided us with the opportunity to keep employees during these uncertain times and I want to thank the Unions and all employees for their continued patience. We will get through this pandemic together and be stronger for it.”
In order to achieve the savings during Workshare, City Hall will be closed on Fridays until March 13th except for February 12th, 19th, and 26th when only early voting will be available. The anticipated savings may change should there be a snowstorm as employees will need to be brought in.
WorkShare, a program offered by the Unemployment Insurance Division in the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT), allows qualified employers to reduce the hours of work for employees rather than lay them off completely during a time of economic hardship and has been extended until March 13th.
City Hall will operateMonday through Thursday from 9:00am to 4:00pm by appointment. Call 401-728-0500 or visit www.pawtucketri.com to schedule an appointment.