Diocese Of Joliet To Cut Employee Pay In Response To Coronavirus

JOLIET, IL — The Diocese of Joliet announced Tuesday that all diocesan employees will have their hourly wages reduced by 33 percent during the month of April. This wage cut is reportedly a result of the diocese suspending many of its normal services in response to the growing coronavirus crisis. The cut will apply to all lay employees as well as priests, Diocese Communications Director Alex Rechenmacher said.

"[The wage reduction] is one third... the priests are a part of it," Rechenmacher said.

According to the press release put out on the issue by the diocese, the wage reduction is envisioned as a trade-off; a way to safeguard diocesan employees' jobs in the future by asking them to make an economic sacrifice in the present.

"The Diocese of Joliet has made this decision with the following goals in mind: (1) to avoid laying off diocesan or parish employees as a result of the crisis; (2) to maintain benefits for our parish and diocesan employees; and (3) to maintain liquidity at the diocesan level to continue to meet the needs of our parishes and many ministries throughout the seven counties of the Diocese of Joliet," the press release said.

According to Rechenmacher, the wage cuts are currently only planned for April. While the coronavirus situation is continuously changing and often unpredictable, Rechenmacher said the diocese had no plans to continue the wage cuts into May.

"At this time the wage reduction is only intended for April," Rechenmacher said. "We're hoping that will be the end of it."

Bishop Richard Pates of the diocese offered his own words on the wage reduction in Tuesday's press release, expressing a desire for a return to normalcy.

“The Diocese of Joliet deeply regrets taking this step especially in view of the outstanding corps of priests and other ministers with whom we are blessed,” Pates said in the press release. “Our goal is to return to normal operations as soon as possible.”

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