After being told via email on Thursday that they had potentially been exposed to coronavirus, New York-area staffers for billionaire Mike Bloomberg's presidential campaign were laid off Friday. The staffers are expected to lose their health insurance at the end of March.
In the email sent to staffers advising them of their possible coronavirus exposure, Bloomberg campaign human resources said the infected individual had not been present in the offices since Monday.
"In the meantime, as a precautionary measure, we ask that you continue to stay out of the office and work from home for the next 14 days," the email said.
New York has been one of the states hardest hit by coronavirus with recent data indicating over 8,000 reported confirmed cases.
Campaign staffers were allegedly promised paid positions, including health insurance, until the November election. After the layoffs, Bloomberg's campaign said it has sent a list of names to the DNC for employment consideration.
"We will assist the DNC as much as we are able to, including by providing names of staff and working to help them onboard and grow their program as expediently as possible," said a spokesperson for Bloomberg's campaign in a Friday statement.
"Although Mike suspended his campaign," the statement continued, "he remains committed to defeating Trump and we hope all our staff submit their names for positions with the DNC Coordinated Campaign this transfer will help fund."
Newsweek reached out to Bloomberg but did not receive a response in time for publication.
Bloomberg staffers across the country were told they would be losing their positions as his campaign shifted $18 million in funds to the Democratic National Committee in order to campaign against President Donald Trump in battleground states. The campaign's decision to coordinate with the DNC also includes the transference of Bloomberg campaign offices in some areas to state Democratic parties.
"While we considered creating our own independent entity to support the nominee and hold the president accountable," the campaign said in a memo, "this race is too important to have many competing groups with good intentions but that are not coordinated and united in strategy and execution."
"This will help us invest in more organizers across the country to elect the next president and help Democrats win up and down the ballot," said DNC chairman Tom Perez in a Friday statement.
"With this pandemic running rampant," an anonymous former Bloomberg staffer in Virginia told Business Insider. "I am very concerned about losing our coverage because if either of us get sick post-March 31, we may be choosing whether we are paying rent or our car payment instead of getting the medical help we need or vice versa."
In cooperation with other charitable organizations, Bloomberg Philanthropies announced on Friday the launch of a coronavirus relief fund worth $75 million in New York City designed to help non-profits.
"The coronavirus pandemic threatens to cripple New York City's nonprofit organizations and the vitally important services they provide," said CEO of Bloomberg Philanthropies Patricia E. Harris in a Friday press release. "This joint initiative with so many incredible philanthropic partners will help ensure that many of the city's nonprofits can withstand this crisis and continue to serve all New Yorkers."
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
