The state of Ohio is planning to
take approximately 60 jobs out of Athens County later this year and move them
to Columbus.
Ohio Department of Job and Family
Services Director Michael Colbert announced today that the state is moving its
child support payment processing center and unemployment call center out of The
Plains and to Columbus. The two offices are currently located in the same building.
Colbert explained in an e-mail to County
Job and Family Services directors that the closing is part of a statewide
cost-savings initiative.
“Changes in the way we do business
have resulted in high vacancy rates at many of our facilities. With that in
mind, we have reviewed our operations and made a difficult decision that
preserves jobs but still will impact staff at many of our locations. In order
to minimize vacant office space and save the state more than $2 million each
year, we have decided to consolidate several of our facilities. This work will
begin this spring and finish by the end of the year,” Colbert said in the
e-mail.
For most employees at the facility
in The Plains, this will mean that they will have to drive back and forth to Columbus
every day or move to Columbus.
For Athens County, this will mean
the loss of more good paying jobs at a time when numerous full-time positions
have already been lost in the community.
With this latest cut, the Ohio
Department of Job and Family Services has now eliminated approximately 120
full-time jobs in the county in the last four years. Since 2009, the Athens
County Department of Job and Family Services has eliminated approximately 60
positions due to budget cuts from the Ohio Department of Job and Family
Services.
The continued loss of full-time
positions further damages the fragile economy in Athens County and reduces
opportunities for area residents to secure jobs with living wages and benefits
such as health insurance. Athens County Job and Family Services Director Jack
Frech has contacted Director Colbert and asked that he reconsider his decision and the
impact that this job loss will have on the community.
4 comments:
Welcome to the real world DJFS employess. Perhaps if DJFS didn't waste money on enormous employee salaries/benefits (compared to the people they server)this wouldn't happen. I wonder what the directors salary including benefits is?
Good competent people from southern Ohio are being denied good paying jobs. Most folks can't make that daily drive to downtown Columbus. It's a hardship. Now the state will spend valuable time training new employees how to do the work. It will take 3-4 years to bring someone in and get them up to speed. What a waste of taxpayer dollars
ODJFS works hard for their money. They do not make a tremendous amount of money for what they do for Athens County. The workload is tremendous and they do the best they can. They deserve every penny they make and every benefit.
ODJFS employees work hard for their money and benefits. They deserve every penny and every one of the benefits they get. The employees have a tremendous workload and do the best they can for Athens County. I believe they are not appreciated as they should be. As the people they serve, most should get off their buts and work for a living.
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