Denver’s recent job cuts have significantly impacted various city departments, particularly the Office of Children’s Affairs, which faced the highest percentage of layoffs. Approximately one-third of the office’s employees were let go as part of a broader restructuring aimed at addressing a projected budget shortfall of $200 million for the 2026 fiscal year. This announcement was made by Mayor Mike Johnston during an online town hall meeting with city employees on March 27, 2024.
In total, the city informed 171 employees that their positions had been eliminated. Additionally, another 665 vacant roles were cut, a number that had accumulated due to over a year of hiring freezes and restrictions. This effort represents a nearly 8% reduction in Denver’s authorized workforce, which stands at 11,023 positions. Johnston remarked, “If you’re heavy on people and low on vacancies, you end up needing to be higher on layoffs,” highlighting the rationale behind the cuts.
Departmental Impacts and Layoff Details
The breakdown of layoffs revealed that while some positions were moved to different funding sources, 92 jobs were ultimately eliminated. The Office of Children’s Affairs, which had 31 positions, saw a total reduction of about 39%, with 10 employees laid off and two vacant roles cut.
The Office of Human Rights and Community Partnerships experienced nearly the same impact, with 38% of its workforce affected. This included nine layoffs and the elimination of eight vacant positions out of a total of 45. Similarly, the Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency faced a 28% reduction, with five layoffs and 22 vacant positions eliminated.
In contrast, the reductions were minimal in departments such as Denver Fire and Denver Police, where uniformed personnel remained untouched. Both departments saw less than a 2% decrease in positions, all of which were due to the elimination of vacant roles.
The mayor’s office itself laid off three employees and cut eight vacant positions, leading to a total reduction of 24% of its positions. The largest number of layoffs occurred in the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, which cut 31 employees and eliminated 108 vacant positions, representing 9% of its workforce of 1,562.
As Denver navigates these significant changes, the administration aims to mitigate financial strains while ensuring essential services remain intact. The city continues to adapt to the challenges posed by its budget constraints, with the hope of stabilizing its workforce and operations moving forward.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
