Atlantic City alerts employees of possible layoffs

Atlantic City officials confirmed that a pre-notice layoff letter had been sent Tuesday to all municipal employees, informing them that the city will file a layoff plan with the state next Wednesday.

As many as 300 jobs could be affected and entire departments - which provide services duplicating some also provided by Atlantic County - could be eliminated, officials said.

Except with Police Department employees, the city noted that it intends to reopen all labor contracts, which could result in reduced wages and benefits for city employees.

"It is not an understatement that severe financial issues are affecting the city," wrote Atlantic City business administrator Arch Liston.

City officials declined to say precisely how many employees the city has and told a reporter to file an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) to get the figure, according to Assistant City Clerk Monica Webb.

Mayor Don Guardian did not return calls for comment. In a budget address this year, he said the city had about 1,200 employees.

The layoff notice follows Standard & Poor's downgrading Atlantic City's credit rating Monday from A-minus to BBB-plus, citing the closing of four of the resort's 12 casinos since the beginning of the year.