The Catholic Diocese of Buffalo has announced staff layoffs and other measures to the 75 employees at the downtown Catholic Center. The diocese will lay off 22% of those staff members, or about 17 people. A source confirmed to BTPM NPR that the cuts include the diocese's entire communications team.
Employees affected will be paid until the end of the month, and those remaining will transition to just four workdays a week. Health benefits to those losing their jobs will continue until the end of September.
The cost cutting measures are part of bankruptcy restructuring, triggered by hundreds of lawsuits in the past six years for claims of sexual abuse by priests. The diocese reached a $150 million settlement in April with around 800 survivors of abuse.
