The Carla Madison Rec Center on E. Colfax Avenue. Oct. 21, 2025.
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
Thousands of city workers who survived August layoffs will lose their Friday pay this week due to a mandatory furlough on Black Friday.
Libraries, recreation centers, the permitting office and other city agencies will be shuttered Friday. They’ll also be closed as usual for the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday.
Facilities that are open on the weekend will return to normal operations on Saturday, while other services will return on Monday.
This is the second and final mandatory furlough day the vast majority of city workers must take — and the only ones employees making less than $61,000 will have to take. Others have to schedule additional days independently.
Employees making:
- Between $61,000 and $71,999 must take three days
- Between $72,000 and $89,999 must take four days
- Between $90,000 and $115,000 must take five days
- $116,000 and above must take six days
- Mayoral appointees making $150,000 or more must take seven days
The furloughs are a small part of Mayor Mike Johnston’s attempt to close a $50 million budget gap in 2025 – ahead of a $200 million budget gap in 2026.
Not all workers have been furloughed. Those exempted include 911 operators and uniformed police, fire and sheriff employees. Police officers and fire fighters are also set for raises in the years to come, and sheriff deputies are negotiating raises too.
Parks and rec workers, library shelvers, housing outreach workers, and employees of the mayor’s office will neither work nor receive pay on Friday. None currently have the right to collective bargaining. And none will likely receive raises next year.
The right to a union contract kicks in for most city employees at the beginning of 2026.
