EDMONTON -- Dozens more Edmonton Catholic school employees will be laid off Thursday, bringing the total number of staff whose jobs are temporarily put on hold while the government redirects funding to the pandemic to 770.
Edmonton Catholic School Division says 67 part-time light duty custodians will be laid off as of May 30.
They will keep their health benefits until Aug. 31 and access to division email and technology.
The division said the layoffs are the result of funding cuts by the provincial government while students are not in school.
“It is disappointing that these additional layoffs are required but the reality is that we do not know how long students will be learning remotely,” said Robert Martin, the division's superintendent.
More than seven hundred employees were laid off by the division two weeks ago.
According to Edmonton Catholic School Division, it lost $5.7 million in funding when Alberta decided to divert $128 million from education to COVID-19 response.
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At the time, the government said the move was not easy to make, but necessary given fewer staff are needed when students are not in the building.
Alberta has promised education funding will be restored to regular levels when physical classes continue.
ECSD Chair Laura Thibert said it "would not rest" until that happened.
Laid-off employees will be given information for federal government financial supports and retain access to a family support program.
