The University of Saskatchewan announced that they are temporarily laying off up to 500 staff due to COVID-19.

The exact number of people being laid off isn’t know, but CUPE Local 1975, the union representing some of the staff, expects it to be around the 500 mark.

In a statement, the school says that layoffs could last up to 12 weeks, and that they will provide a top-up to the Canada Emergency Response Benefit.

Staff will still have access to their benefits while laid off, but they are not paying into their pensions.