Layoffs and Cost Cutting Under Way at Charities Nationwide: a Sampling

The organization has laid off 371 staff members across its national affiliates, 10.5 percent of its work force, and will not fill 235 vacant positions. It has also reduced the pay of employees in its Dallas office by one day per month through September; employees can take that unpaid time as vacation.

The opera company has consolidated the positions of executive director and senior director of marketing and development into one, and will hire a general director to handle those responsibilities. The opera has eliminated the post of senior director of artistic operations, and will divide that position’s responsibilities among existing staff members. In addition, staff salaries have been reduced and employees have been put on furloughs.

The art museum has laid off 22 employees, 3 percent of its work force, and its director has taken a voluntary 10-percent pay cut. Salaries of all employees have been frozen and they are all required to take a weeklong furlough.

The theater company has laid off 12 of its 120 employees, and has cut automatic contributions to employees’ retirement accounts. Employees have been put on two-week furloughs.

The foundation has offered buyouts to approximately 30 percent of the 550 employees in its New York and foreign offices, but has not confirmed how many employees have accepted.

The theater group is laying off about 10 percent of its staff (40 to 50 employees), eliminating the jobs of five seasonal workers, instituting a hiring freeze, and reducing salaries by 1 percent to 4.5 percent. Six year-round contract employees are being switched to seasonal work.

The museum laid off 74 employees in June, and in May 95 employees accepted buyouts, bringing the reduction of museum and retail staff to 296 employees since March. The museum has also left 61 vacant positions unfilled, closed 15 retail shops, and eliminated salary increases. (This updates an item that appeared in the March 26 issue.)

The environmental group cut 20 positions, out of a work force of 125.

The theater company has failed to raise enough money to survive and has shut down.

The orchestra’s musicians have agreed to forgo a 4.8-percent raise they were promised for September 2009. The increase will be deferred until September 2010. The orchestra will also reduce pension contributions. (This updates an item that appeared in the March 26 issue.)

The public television organization has cut about 45 positions, 10 percent of its work force, through layoffs and eliminating vacant posts. Salaries for all non-union employees will be reduced by almost 4 percent for the next six months, wage increases have been frozen, and the organization is cutting its contribution to employee retirement accounts from 8 percent to 6 percent for the next six months.

The foundation is offering buyouts to 105 of its 250 staff members, representing 40 percent of its employees. The foundation has also closed its Washington office and cut its travel budget by half.

The music school has reduced the salaries of its administrative staff on a graduated scale from a 2-percent cut for employees earning in the low $30,000’s to a maximum cut of 10 percent for those earning $47,000 or more. Those who earn less than $30,000 will not face salary cuts. Faculty salaries will be cut from 1 percent to 10 percent depending on pay scale. The school has also eliminated six positions, reduced hours for part-time receptionists, and suspended contributions to employee pensions funds for 2009 and 2010.

The opera company has laid off William Theisen, its artistic director. The company’s general director will take over Mr. Theisen’s duties.

The foundation that operates the Soloman R. Guggenheim Museum is eliminating 25 museum positions, 8 percent of its staff.

The environmental group laid off 33 out of 348 staff members, or about 9 percent, throughout all of the organization’s offices.

The United Way’s Texas branch laid off 10 employees, 20 percent of its staff.

The museum, which is affiliated with the University of Utah, has laid off a curator, a collections and installation specialist, and its operations manager. The paid work time of the remaining 12th staff members has been cut from 40 to 32 hours a week.

The foundation is laying off 13 employees in Africa, and is closing offices in Pretoria, South Africa, and Sao Paulo, Brazil; in February it closed its Jackson, Miss., office.

The public television and radio station laid off five staff members, including its program director and engineering director. The salary of the station’s president has been cut by 10 percent, and three other top staff members have had their salaries reduced by 5 percent. The stations have adopted a hiring and wage freeze, and put employees on two-week furloughs.

The public radio station laid off four employees and is eliminating 11 vacant positions.