Voluntary departures save Detroit Free Press from forced layoffs

The Free Press will narrowly avoid forced layoffs later this month because eight employees have volunteered to leave their jobs, including some top editors, staff members were told Friday.

The newspaper had been facing the possibility of as many as 14 layoffs amid financial challenges at its parent company, Gannett. This week was the deadline for employees to volunteer to leave.

Free Press Editor Peter Bhatia said at a staff meeting that the voluntary departures will result in enough financial savings to avoid the need for involuntary layoffs.

Bhatia is one of the eight volunteers, after announcing days before Christmas that he is giving up his job — and top editor’s salary — to save other jobs. Those departing are five members of the Detroit Newspaper Guild, which represents reporters and some editors, and three managers/editors.

The volunteers’ last day of work is Jan. 18.

“I am not happy about seven people leaving us, but considering where we were a month ago, it’s a pretty good outcome,” Bhatia said.

One of the eight individuals volunteered late last year when the need for staff reductions was first announced.

More:Free Press top editor Peter Bhatia stepping down

The volunteers include Editorial Page Editor Brian Dickerson, award-winning investigative reporter Elisha Anderson, Cary Junior II, who is the voice of the Free Press podcast “On The Line,” Assistant Sports Editor Tyler Davis, and longtime Assistant Editor Jim Finkelstein, who joined the newspaper in 1978.

The departing Newspaper Guild members will generally receive two weeks of severance pay for each year they worked.

“The budget for 2023 is tight, as you can expect, but it still has money in it for the things we need to do,” Bhatia said.

A replacement for Bhatia, 69, who arrived in Detroit to become Free Press editor in September 2017, has yet to be named. Bhatia said Friday that the company will likely consider internal candidates as well as those new to the Free Press.

While Bhatia presided over several rounds of buyouts and voluntary layoffs during his time at the newspaper, he noted that he hasn’t had to make any forced layoffs, aside from two dismissals for cause. The Free Press currently employs 110 people.

“Otherwise we’ve been able to avoid that over the last several years, which is a really good place to be, given the state of the industry,” he said.