Los Angeles County’s Superior Court is offering its staff thousands of dollars to quit their jobs.

The court announced a Voluntary Separation Incentive Program on Friday to lower headcount and trim operating expenses because of a massive funding shortfall that threatens court operations.

Starting Sept. 21, eligible full-time court employees with at least five years of continuous service can opt to resign in exchange for a one-time $35,000 buyout.

Workers approved for the program must separate on or before Dec. 24 of this year and will be barred from rehire at the court for one year, the court said in a statement.

“Just as Los Angeles County residents are struggling to keep pace with rising gas and grocery prices, the court finds itself in a similar bind — our operational costs continue to outpace our budget resources,” Presiding Judge Sergio C. Tapia II said.

Vacated positions will be eliminated entirely to secure ongoing savings rather than temporary relief. The buyout program aims to stabilize the budget and forestall potential layoffs or furloughs in the 2026–2027 fiscal year.

Despite receiving partial inflationary adjustments in the latest state budget, the court’s projected cost including vendor contracts, county-provided services, custodial expenses and negotiated salary raises will exceed state funding by approximately $9.1 million this fiscal year.

Cumulative state inflationary funding has failed to keep pace with the California Department of Finance‘s calculated need since the 2020–2021 fiscal year, opening an 13.1% gap that leaves an $88 million deficit.

Based on Judicial Council of California metrics, the court lacks $233.7 million in funding needed to handle its 1.3 million annual filings.

The court is currently operating at 76.77% of its calculated funding need — its lowest level since 2021 and its largest dollar deficit since at least 2013 — representing a funding gap equivalent to roughly 1,900 staff positions.

“Parting ways with dedicated and talented staff is never something we take lightly… But with our funding continuing to fall short of what it takes to sustain critical court operations, we are hopeful that enough employees will choose to voluntarily separate, said David W. Slayton, executive officer/clerk of court.

Court officials warned the public to expect operational delays and reduced service levels as staffing shrinks.

Expected disruptions include longer lines at service windows, slower call center response times and delays in legal document processing.

The court previously offered a buyout program in 2024, which generated approximately $4 million in recurring annual savings.

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