Cal Academy of Sciences announces major job cuts amid pandemic

SAN FRANCISCO - The California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park has been closed since mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

And the effort to protect public health and save lives has proven deadly to the revenue stream that supports nearly 40,000 animals inside and the 504 employees of the famed science museum, planetarium, and aquarium. 

On Wednesday, the organization announced layoffs. In June, 110 employees are being laid off, another 92 furloughed, and 160 will have salary reductions for the year. 

Outside the building, Elbert Yee waited to learn his fate. 

"I don't know. I'll be finding out in an hour," said Yee. 

It was an unthinkable and emotional moment for the San Francisco native, who said he'd been working at the Cal Academy since 2008. 

"I grew up coming here. I didn't think I'd actually work here. And now it's really sad, it's possible it might be my last day," Yee said. 

"This is hard, to lose on the order of 20% of our staff is heartbreaking," said the Cal Academy's executive director Scott Sampson. 

Sampson says even the $8 million federal Paycheck Protection Program loan they received won't be enough.

"We are projecting a decrease in our earned revenue of $12 million in our next fiscal year that begins in July. That's a 36% drop over last year," said Sampson. 

The California Academy of Sciences set up links on the official website for people who want to help by donating to a relief fund or signing up for membership to support the organization. 

The waves of layoffs from the public health lock-down are rippling through a range of industries.

Boeing announced Wednesday it's laying off some 6,770 workers. Other high-profile companies such as Amtrak, IBM, Uber, Air BnB, the Golden State Warriors and United Airlines have already announced thousands of layoffs. 

"The unemployment rate we think could be going even higher from the 14.7% rate in April, extraordinarily high," said Gary Schlossberg, an economist with Wells Fargo Investment Institute.

Schlossberg says as businesses reopen this summer there will be a re-hiring bump, but this is a new coronavirus economy.

"Clearly, this is a game-changer," said Schlossberg, "While many of the activities, eating out eventually, mass entertainment may eventually come back, they may be modified a bit. Spending may be modified, the pattern of household budget spending." 

That means companies, organizations and non-profits will need to find a new way of doing business and adjust to the new reality.

Sampson says he hopes the California Academy of Sciences will be in a position to rehire soon.

"We would love to do that. And that will depend on how long it takes for our revenues to approach what they were before COVID-19." 

IF YOU'RE INTERESTED: The California Academy of Sciences donation page is here.