Metropolitan Museum Completes Round of Layoffs
By RANDY KENNEDY
Published: June 22, 2009
The Metropolitan Museum of Art said on Monday that it had completed a significant round of layoffs and voluntary retirements that it had warned in March would probably be necessary to contend with deep losses in its endowment.
Over the last few weeks, the museum laid off 74 employees and gave retirement packages to 95 others who chose to accept them, it said. Though the museum declined to identify or describe the specific roles of employees who have left, it said those departing included some members of the curatorial staff.
The museum earlier closed 15 of its satellite retail shops around the country and laid off 127 merchandising employees. The rest of the staff reduction was accomplished through attrition, with a hiring freeze over the last six months and many part-time contracts not being renewed.
By RANDY KENNEDY
Published: June 22, 2009
The Metropolitan Museum of Art said on Monday that it had completed a significant round of layoffs and voluntary retirements that it had warned in March would probably be necessary to contend with deep losses in its endowment.
Over the last few weeks, the museum laid off 74 employees and gave retirement packages to 95 others who chose to accept them, it said. Though the museum declined to identify or describe the specific roles of employees who have left, it said those departing included some members of the curatorial staff.
The museum earlier closed 15 of its satellite retail shops around the country and laid off 127 merchandising employees. The rest of the staff reduction was accomplished through attrition, with a hiring freeze over the last six months and many part-time contracts not being renewed.
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