WHQR: NH Co. May Have to Layoff Employees (2009-03-02)

Local Interest

NH Co. May Have to Layoff Employees

Catherine M. Welch (2009-03-02)

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WILMINGTON, NC (whqr) - The deadline has come and gone and New Hanover County officials say 43 employees opted to take the county's early retirement plan.

Of the 43 New Hanover County employees taking early retirement, a little less than half work in the Department of Social Services, four of them are New Hanover County Sheriff's Office employees, including the Sheriff. The head of New Hanover County's Human Relations office also opted to take the early retirement package.

The county says those eliminated salaries will save $2.5 million, but some of the positions will need to be filled, reducing the amount saved.

The county announced its early retirement package last month as a way to fill a $3 million budget shortfall for this fiscal year.

The hope was that enough employees would take the package to avoid layoffs, which the county says will likely happen. Any layoffs will be announced March 9th.

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