Boston Holds Job Fair For City Workers Facing Layoffs

The city of Boston expects to lay off more than 550 people at the end of June. Three hundred and sixty-four people in the schools, including 200 teachers, are expected to lose their jobs two weeks from Tuesday, and another 191 people in the public libraries, the police department and at the city’s printing office are expected to be laid off as well.

Mayor Thomas Menino expects to save $28 million next year with the layoffs. The mayor’s office says the city is trying to find other jobs for the people about to lose theirs. This year, though, there aren’t many options, so Monday, the city held a job fair at Faneuil Hall. Several temp agencies set up booths. There were financial planning counselors.

The South Boston Resource Center is one of four the city has to help people write resumes and apply for positions online. “Some folks don’t have computers. They don’t have access to Internet,” said the center’s director, Eddie Downs. “We have six computers that are online. We have a fax machine. We have resume paper. We have people who will help put together a resume for someone who does not have one, and then we do things like work on interviewing skills.”