The City of Marquette will be implementing a Work Share program as a first line counter to anticipated budget shortfalls. Michigan’s Work Share program allows employers to keep employees working with reduced hours, while employees collect partial unemployment benefits to make up a portion of the lost wages. Employees participating in Work Share due to
COVID-19 are also eligible to receive the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation of $300 per week in addition to their Work Share weekly Michigan unemployment benefit. The City will be filing for benefits for each affected employee and will handle recertifying benefits on a weekly basis.

Excluding emergency responders (Police and Fire), each department will be furloughing qualifying full-time employees one day a week until March 13 and is planned to start next week (January 18). The furlough day can be any day of the week, but departments will be required to remain available to the public for the normal work week. Furlough schedules will be at the
discretion of the Department Head. This action will potentially save the City an estimated $200,000 through the middle of March and will be a tremendous help in overcoming the estimated budget shortfalls.