SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The federal receiver who controls health care in California prisons is issuing layoff notices to more than 2,200 employees as inmate crowding eases.
The notices announced Wednesday come as receiver J. Clark Kelso begins returning control to state officials.
Spokeswoman Liz Gransee says the goal is to reduce the medical staff by more than 800 positions by spring.
Fewer employees are needed because the prison population is declining under a year-old law that is sending less serious offenders to local jails instead of state prisons to cut crowding and reduce prison spending.
Though layoff notices are going out to job classifications from doctor to clerks, it's not clear how many will actually lose their jobs.
Longer-term employees can claim seniority over junior employees, or seek jobs elsewhere in state government.
