“We were not immune, although we were given time to decide how to make the necessary workforce reductions,” Conti said. “We are making every effort to give as much notice as possible so that those impacted have time to digest the news, investigate [Reduction in Force] options within the Department and State Government, search for other employment, and make plans for their changing future.”

Budget cuts across state government this year have eliminated 13,403 filled and vacant state positions so far, including 6,455 employees who have been laid off, according to estimates provided last week by the state legislature’s fiscal research staff.

They include:

1,762 positions eliminated (438 people terminated) in state agencies and departments.

814 positions (567 people) at community colleges.

6,308 positions (2,418 people) in public schools.

4,519 positions (3,032 people) in the UNC system.

Conti spokeswoman Greer Beaty said she did not have exact numbers on how many DOT employees will lose their jobs and how many vacant positions will be cut.

“There are more than 400 positions, and they cut across all job classifications,” Beaty said. “Our business unit managers are notifying people over the next week. Some of them I know are vacant positions, so it isn’t going to be 400 people.”

Obama’s visit

President Barack Obama’s visit to the Triangle on Wednesday will include a stop at an Apex business and a public speech at N.C. State University.

Obama is slated to visit WestStar Precision, a small Apex company.

That visit is closed to the public, but Obama is holding a public event at 12:55 p.m. at NCSU’s Reynolds Coliseum to further discuss his proposed American Jobs Act.

The NCSU event is free; tickets are required to attend. NCSU students can get one ticket per person beginning at 8 a.m. today at the Brickyard, on the main campus between D. H. Hill Library and Harrelson Hall.

Tickets to the general public are limited

Article source: http://feeds.stateline.org/~r/StatelineorgRss-Transportation/~3/pcqI7qJiVnE/400-jobs-will-be-eliminated-at.html