Denver Changes Layoff Rules as City Faces $250 Million Budget Shortfall

Denver board votes to eliminate seniority-based layoffs, will now consider merit

DENVER (KDVR) — Despite a rally by Denver city employees on Tuesday morning, the Denver Career Services Board voted 4 to 1 to change how Denver's layoffs are enacted. City employees, alongside a coalition of labor unions that represent city workers, say the rule change "will endanger the livelihoods" of Denver's city workers. The rule change means that a longstanding seniority-based system for determining layoffs will be replaced with a "merit-b…

Denver changes layoff rules as city faces $250 million budget shortfall

The mayor of Denver has said he expects the first round of layoffs to begin in early August.

Denver will now consider merit when deciding who is laid off in upcoming cuts — reducing role of seniority

Managers in Denver city departments will consider some merit-based factors rather than just seniority when deciding who they will lay off to help fill a $200 million budget hole under changes approved Tuesday by the Career Service Board. Four of the board’s five members supported the changes following a four-hour meeting. The decision came just weeks before Mayor Mike Johnston’s administration is expected to begin layoffs of city employees. Whil…

Facing budget shortfall, Denver changes layoff rules for city employees

With layoffs likely due to the City of Denver’s projected $200 million budget shortfall in 2026, the city's career service board approved changes to the city’s layoff procedures on Tuesday.