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LASC to Pay Employees to Quit in Light of Slashed Funding
Court Says It Will ‘Narrowly’ Avoid Layoffs, Furloughs This Fiscal Year, but ‘Further Cuts’ Are Likely in FY 2025-26
By a MetNews Staff Writer
The Los Angeles Superior Court announced yesterday that in light of a $30.3 million cut in its funding for the current fiscal year, it will be offering full-time employees who have been on the job for five years or more a $35,000 payment for resigning by Oct. 1, with their posts then being eliminated.
Anticipating voluntary resignations, it said in a statement that “the court will narrowly avoid layoffs and furloughs,” attributing that to its “historically prudent financial planning.” However, hinting at the possibility of nonconsensual job losses ahead, it mentioned that “further cuts are likely in the 2025-26 fiscal year.
The court warned that although an effort will be made “to deliver the best services possible, court users should expect reduced or delayed service because of staffing reductions and other operational cuts,” including longer lines at filing windows and increased delays in processing documents.
The effort to induce employees to quit has been dubbed the Voluntary Separation Incentive Program (“VSIP”). Under it, any employee who accepts the one-time payment will be ineligible for reemployment by the court for a year.
A compensated resignation is subject to court approval on a case-by-case basis.
Jessner Comments
Presiding Judge Samantha P. Jessner commented:
“Make no mistake—the cuts to California’s trial courts in the FY 2024-25 state budget are concerning and consequential. While the court is leveraging every tool at its disposal to minimize impacts on core services, actions such as the VSIP will result in staffing reductions that will no doubt impact the court’s ability to provide timely and efficient access to justice for Los Angeles County residents.”
Executive Officer/Clerk David W. Slayton said:
“While the court acknowledges the need for belt-tightening in light of California’s fiscal circumstances, the significance of a $30.3 million ongoing cut to the court’s operating budget cannot be overstated. The court does not have the option of simply refusing to provide access to justice—it is our constitutional obligation.
“Significant reductions in funding like this one impact our ability to effectively fulfill our mission. We are never happy to say goodbye to our dedicated and talented staff.
“However, given the difficult financial circumstances the court finds itself in due to the cuts, we are hopeful that a sufficient number of court employees will take the incentive to voluntarily separate from court service, which will provide significant savings heading into the next fiscal year.”
Statewide Reductions
The fiscal year budget, which went into effect yesterday, includes a 7.95 percent drop in trial court funding amounting to a $97 million drop. California’s belt-tightening budget comes in response to a $46.8 billion budget deficit.
The court said that in addition to the $30.3 million cut, it “will sustain reductions of $3.9 million in state-funded programs such as the statewide Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act and pre-trial release programs.” It added:
“Further complicating the court’s financial planning for future budget years is the Legislature’s rejection of [Gov/ Gavin] Newsom’s proposal to increase the trial court budget reserve cap from 3 percent to 5 percent. The practical effect of this rejection by the Legislature is far less money available to weather future budget cuts without more consequential impacts on staff and services….
“In addition to the elimination of existing vacant positions, broad restrictions on non-critical expenses such as travel and certain training for judicial officers and court employees, and the delay or elimination of certain special projects, the VSIP will enable the court to further reduce ongoing operating expenses with salary savings.”
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