The A’s have begun "cutting back on full-time employees during baseball’s work stoppage, informing front-office staff that they will be furloughed starting next week," according to Susan Slusser of the S.F. CHRONICLE. The decision will "affect more than half the team’s workforce, and there are more than 150 employees just on the baseball-operations side." The club will "continue to pay benefits, including health care and 401(k) and pension payments, for all employees." Remaining employees who make more than $60,000 will "incur salary reductions, with top earners absorbing the biggest cuts." Pro scouts were "told they will be furloughed next week, and amateur scouts will be furloughed June 16, after the draft." The A’s business operations also are "expected to begin downsizing through furloughs and salary reductions next week." There "had been hope that the team would retain all employees should the players’ union and MLB announce that the regular season will start in the next month or two." However, employees have been "told the move will last through Oct. 31" (S. F. CHRONICLE, 5/27).
DODGERS MAKE TIERED CUTS: The Dodgers yesterday announced that they "will not impose furloughs or layoffs on full-time employees due to the coronavirus pandemic but instead will begin a system of tiered salary cuts." ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne cited sources as saying that the club "informed hundreds of their employees on a Zoom call Tuesday afternoon that the salary cuts -- which will range from 0 to 35% or more for top executives and will start June 1 -- will affect only full-time employees making more than $75,000 a year" (ESPN.com, 5/26).
NATS GIVE CLARITY: In DC, Jesse Dougherty reports full-time Nationals employees "received clarity on their contracts" yesterday, when ownership "detailed partial furloughs for those on the baseball operations and business staffs." The plan is "designed to avoid layoffs for novel coronavirus-related reasons." The partial furloughs, "including a reduction in hours and pay for all employees, will run through the end of each individual’s annual contract, whether baseball resumes this summer or there is no season at all." For baseball operations employees, annual contracts "finish at the end of October," while for business-side employees, they "finish at the end of the year." A source said that the pay cuts will be between 10-30% percent (WASHINGTON POST, 5/27).
YANKEES UPDATE: In Newark, Brendan Kuty cites a source as saying that the Yankees will "continue to pay employees in full through June 15," after which the club will "reassess whether furloughs or pay cuts will be necessary." The Yankees previously told employees that they "would keep paying them through at least May 31" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 5/27).
