Another Airline Announces Layoffs At Cleveland Hopkins Airport

CLEVELAND — Another airline has filed paperwork to begin layoffs at Cleveland Hopkins Airport.

"Due to the continuing impact of COVID-19 on the airline industry, ExpressJet must reduce the size of its workforce upon the termination of the CARES Act payroll support funding program on September 30. As a result, ExpressJet sent WARN notices to all employees the week of July 13th providing a 60-day advance notification of the reduction. ExpressJet is hopeful it can rescind some of these notices should conditions improve," an ExpressJet spokesperson told Patch.

ExpressJet Airlines notified the state it intends to layoff 95 mechanics at Cleveland Hopkins. The company blamed the economic downturn created by COVID-19 for the layoffs.

"In light of this enduring and severe downturn, ExpressJet has implemented emergency measures to ensure the financial stability of the company, and must continue to do so, including implementing some very difficult personnel decisions," the company said in a letter filed with the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services.

Airlines received federal funding in the CARES Act, which protects jobs through Sept. 30, 2020. According to the U.S. Treasury website, ExpressJet received $109,883,984 in payroll support.

The company said it plans to layoff 95 workers at Cleveland Hopkins beginning Oct. 1, 2020, the day after CARES Act protections expire.

Many of the impacted employees are members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. ExpressJet said it hopes the layoffs are temporary, but could not provide a timetable for when it might rehire employees.

"However, due to the unique and unpredictable nature of the pandemic, we cannot presently predict or guarantee a timeline for the posting of any open positions for which the furloughed and/or laid off employees would be eligible to apply consistent with the terms of their collective bargaining agreements, as applicable," the company said in a letter filed with the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services.

A Cleveland Hopkins Airport spokesperson declined to comment.