New York’s major art institutions lay off and furlough workers to get through crisis

New York. Source: Wikipedia

In the past week, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) laid off 85 freelance education workers, the New Museum furloughed one third of its staff, the Whitney Museum of American Art laid off 68 employees who unable to work remotely, according to Artforum.

The Whitney Museum is going to loes $7 million due to the closure, but plans to rehire staff again after the reopening. The museum’s director Adam Weinberg does not expect the institution to reopen until July.

The New Museum furloughed 41 out of 150 staffers who recently unionised. Seven workers were laid off after the programmes were cut. The museum promises to extend health-care benefits for its employees to June 30.

On March 30, 85 education workers at MoMA received their last payments and a notice saying it “will be months, if not years” before the museum anticipates “returning to the budget and operations levels to require educator services”.

Unlike other art institutions, Metropolitan Museum of Art does not lay off staffers and pledged on March 30 to pay its employees until May 2. However, the museum’s endowment fund of $3.6 billion is much largest than most museums have.