WILKES-BARRE -- For now Mayor Tom Leighton announced a last-ditch plan to save Wilkes-Barre city employees from layoffs.
Leighton hopes a new retirement plan will generate enough interest among city workers, to offset a multi-million dollar budget shortfall.
Last month Leighton said layoffs of city employees, including police officers and firefighters, would happen if the city couldn't get enough workers to sign up for voluntary furloughs.
Only a handful of employees responded. This latest plan from the mayor's office is an effort to get about 50 eligible city employees to retire.
Under the plan, Retirees would receive:
*$400 per month stipend from January 2013 through December 2015
*stipend replaces health care coverage for spouses and dependents
*must notify human resources department by noon on Tuesday, November 13th.
*retirement will begin November 21st
Mayor Leighton said his plan would be good for certain employees who don't have any dependents, or employees with spouses who have separate health insurance.