BALTIMORE — On Friday, Johns Hopkins University released a statement that provided an update on how the university plans to provide assistance to those workers who were furloughed or laid-off as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The statement reads as follows:
Johns Hopkins remains steadfast in our commitment to our workforce, both directly employed and contract workers, during this very challenging time. We regret that the slow-down in university operations and the university’s losses due to COVID-19 are necessitating some furloughs and lay-offs, and we are working hard to provide compassionate and supportive transition assistance to affected workers, without undermining their eligibility for state and federal relief funds.
With respect to the dedicated workers who usually provide food service on campus, we have been having substantive and meaningful discussions over the last month with their employer and their representatives. We have not reversed course but instead have been exploring the most beneficial options for these valued team members through their employer. We are taking great care to avoid interfering with their eligibility for the comprehensive financial benefits through the CARES Act, which provides enhanced unemployment compensation benefits through July 31. Any wage payment facilitated through Johns Hopkins could impact these workers’ eligibility for the maximum relief available to them by interrupting or delaying their unemployment benefits.
In the meantime, we are moving ahead with the creation of the COVID-19 relief fund announced last week, as a mechanism to provide financial support for contract workers and employees facing COVID-19 related hardships.
