Duggan: More than 750 Detroit city employees to return to work

Detroit — Mayor Mike Duggan announced Wednesday the city is ready to bring hundreds of city employees who have been on furlough or working reduced hours back to full-time status after receiving federal funding.

The city was granted more than $879 million from the American Rescue Plan.

More than 750 Detroit employees on workshare or furlough are being called back to full-time work starting April 12.

Another 150 employees who were reduced to 10% of their normal time, about half a day a week, will be contacted individually about returning to work.

"This is our time to say thank you to our city employees for their sacrifice," Duggan said. "With the passage of the American Rescue Plan, what the federal government has done essentially is replace our lost revenue... I'm glad to say that the city government will be back at full strength."

The announcement does not change where employees are currently working. Those who are working remotely will stay remote, temporarily, Duggan said.

"If you are working four days a week from home, you will now work five days a week from home," Duggan said. "We are going to move to bring people back into the offices in the coming weeks."

Duggan encouraged city employees to sign up quickly for a vaccine and expanded eligibility to all Detroiters age 50 years and older to receive the vaccine at the TCF Center.

Detroiters can call 313-230-0505 to schedule an appointment.

"We need to do this. We're worried about a 15% vaccination rate of the adults in the city, the state of Michigan's about 25%," Duggan said. "The gap isn't as bad as it was, but it's still much too great a gap and if we are going to get the city open, we have got to raise our vaccination rates."

srahal@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @SarahRahal_