Dauphin County furloughs over 160 employees due to COVID-19 outbreak, revenue declines
DAUPHIN COUNTY —Dauphin County commissioners announced on Monday that they have made the 'difficult' decision to furlough over 160 employees due to concerns about the economic impact of COVID-19.
County Commissioners Jeff Haste, Mike Pries and George P. Hartwick, III say they decided to lay off 163 employees because of "worsening economic conditions impacting county revenues."
The 30-day furlough goes into effect Monday, April 6, and consists of 95 full-time employees and 68 part-time positions across 24 county departments. The furlough is expected to save the county approximately $140,000 per month.
Dauphin County commissioners also imposed a hiring freeze and suspended internship programs to save additional funds.
Commissioners say that as businesses closed and unemployment rises, the county expects a decline in revenue. As a result, commissioners say they may take additional steps to lessen the impact on the county's budget, depending on the severity of the COVID-19 outbreak. They say additional furloughs are expected.