Another 150-200 Detroit workers to return to work, including building inspectors, housing repairs

DETROIT (FOX 2) - The city of Detroit announced Monday another 150-200 city employees will return to work May 18.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said next week the city is bringing back building inspectors, construction inspectors, property maintenance inspectors, lawyers in the law department, and people working on housing repairs.

Mayor Duggan ready to bring more people back to work in Detroit

Mayor Mike Duggan announced Monday another 150-200 city employees will return to work May 18.

“When we started bringing employees back in large numbers two weeks ago, I said it was my goal to create a work environment where you were at least as safe coming to work in the city of Detroit as if you had stayed home - that is absolutely our standard,” Duggan said.

The mayor listed the number of Detroit employees who have tested positive for the virus since March 15:

313 Detroit Police Department employees - 13% of DPD
79 Detroit Fire Department - 7% of DFD
78 Detroit Department of Transportation - 8% of DDOT
75 Other city employees - 3% of other departments

Then Duggan listed the results of testing Detroit employees between May 1 and May 11:

898 DPD tested - 1.5% positive
229 DFD tested - 2% positive
31 DDOT tested - 3% positive
54 other departments tested - 2%

“If you look at this, if you’re a city of Detroit employee, we’re proving that you can be safer at work if it’s done right,” he said.

Construction outside the Fox Theatre on Woodward

Last week the city brought back 200 general services employees and 200 Detroit Public Works employees, which includes the workers cutting the grass and repairing the roads.

The city outlined six principles each department must follow when allowing workers to return.