Job shifting will change nothing
Editor, The Times:
“Layoffs to let county avoid fee increases” [NWWednesday, April 21] told the story of potential layoffs by King County Executive Dow Constantine in the Department of Development and Environmental Services (DDES) so that applicants needing DDES services could pay fixed fees rather than the presently exorbitant hourly rates for the use of DDES approval functions.
About 15 employees in the department were to be eliminated to address the issue. Unfortunately, Frank Abe, director of communication, said Tuesday “that a few of those workers may avoid layoffs by moving to vacant positions,” an appalling comment since that would, in fact, result in no reduction in staff.
There should be no recourse to people laid off by transfer into unfilled positions because the suggested staff reduction would not occur. “Special” people in the effected group would remain on the payroll.
I applaud Constantine’s desire to cut county government expenses, but shifting people into unfilled positions does not accomplish that opportunity. In fact, all unfilled positions should be permanently eliminated to prevent this potential job-shifting arrangement.
— John Marthens, Normandy Park