The city of Denver will begin laying off employees starting August 18, as announced by Mayor Johnston in an email yesterday.
This decision is a response to a significant budget deficit currently estimated at $250 million.
While the exact number of layoffs remains unclear, the mayor indicated that the process is expected to conclude within a week.
Denver’s Career Services Board has a policy in place that assures severance payments and benefits for employees based on their merit and tenure with the city.
However, reports indicate that affected employees will be required to sign an agreement waiving the city from any legal claims before they can receive their severance payments.
The timing of these layoffs has drawn criticism, particularly regarding the recent decisions by the City’s Career Services Board to lessen protections for senior employees.
Lisa Calderon, who ran against Mayor Johnston in the last election, voiced her concerns to the Denver Gazette, stating that the mayor’s mismanagement of funds is the root cause of the layoffs.
Calderon supports workers in arguing that they should not have to sign the city’s waiver agreement to collect their severance benefits.
She characterized the layoffs as being strategically timed right before collective bargaining rights take effect, which she believes is a calculated move to undermine worker protections.
In November of last year, voters approved referral question 2U, allowing nearly 7,000 employees who previously lacked union representation to gain collective bargaining rights by January 2026.
Denver officials responded to concerns regarding the layoffs by asserting that the Career Services Board exercised great care in ensuring that department heads make judicious layoff decisions.
In other news, Colorado Attorney General Phil Wiser has filed a lawsuit against PetSmart, accusing the company of using its grooming school to trap employees.
According to the lawsuit, PetSmart promoted its dog grooming academy as free, despite the actual cost ranging from $5,000 to $5,500.
Employees who left the company within two years of completing the program were then billed for half of those tuition costs.
Furthermore, the grooming certification obtained through the academy is reportedly not recognized outside of PetSmart.
In statements about the case, Attorney General Wiser asserted that PetSmart lured job seekers under false pretenses, offering ‘free’ training while secretly ensnaring them in financial obligations.
The lawsuit seeks penalties against PetSmart of up to $50,000 for each employee affected, citing violations of the Colorado Consumer Protection Act.
The use of Colorado’s Red Flag law has significantly increased, with reports indicating that the measure allows for the temporary removal of firearms from individuals posing extreme risks.
Initially implemented in 2020 and later enhanced, this law enables the issuance of an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO), which permits the removal of firearms for a duration of two weeks.
Agencies have observed that courts can extend these orders beyond two weeks if necessary.
Attorney General Wiser commented that, although keeping guns away from individuals for two weeks is often insufficient, awareness of ERPOs is growing among the public as they recognize the state’s challenges with gun violence.
Data reveals that in the first year after the Red Flag law’s introduction, 64 out of 96 ERPO requests were granted.
Comparatively, in 2023, out of 168 requests filed, 125 were successfully granted, signifying a notable uptick in the use of this preventative measure against gun violence.
Opposition comes from groups such as Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, which claims that such laws contravene due process rights, arguing that individuals should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
In response, Attorney General Wiser affirmed that the right to bear arms is not absolute and must be balanced with public safety.
There is also pushback from environmental groups and Colorado leaders against a proposal made during the Trump administration that seeks to eliminate a scientific finding which underpins regulations on greenhouse gas emissions.
This proposal is also aimed at amending automobile tailpipe emission limits.
As it stands, the proposal faces a long review process and may not be finalized until next year.
Dr. Sara Carpenter, who chairs Healthy Air and Water Colorado, criticized the proposed revocation of what is known as the endangerment finding, stating that it compromises public health in favor of political and corporate interests.
In a more positive development, the North Rim of Black Canyon in Gunnison National Park has reopened ahead of schedule.
The area had been closed since July 10 due to a wildfire exacerbated by a lightning strike, which burned approximately 4,200 acres.
Rusty Stark, the Fire Management Officer, mentioned that the fire is now 41% contained, with natural geography limiting its potential spread.
While visitors can once again access the North Rim, the South Rim, where the visitor center is located, remains closed until conditions are declared safe for re-entry.
image source from：kgnu
