MVC closes 12 locations Saturday after workers refuse to come in

A dozen MVC offices will be closed on Saturday due to "staffing issues unrelated to COVID-19," according to a release on Friday afternoon.

Another six, meanwhile, will be closed because workers contracted the coronavirus.

“MVC will be experiencing a high number of closures tomorrow, Saturday, February 13, as a result of last-minute employee refusals related to the furlough day," spokesman William Connolly told New Jersey 101.5.

He did not immediately respond to a message asking for a further explanation about the furlough day.

The offices to be closed on Saturday:

• Delanco
• Eatontown
• Edison
• Freehold
• Lakewood
• Lodi
• Manahawkin
• Newton
• Oakland
• Salem
• Toms River
• Wayne

Appointments made for the day are canceled and will need to be rescheduled.

Three other offices will be open by appointment only on Saturday:

• Bakers Basin
• Bayonne
• Rio Grande (knowledge testing appointments have been canceled at Rio Grande)

To deal with the backlog the developed during the pandemic, MVC offices last year were opened six days a week and employees were exempted from government furloughs

Five MVC offices are closed Saturday due to an employee testing positive for coronavirus at each location.  The agency's policy is to close the entire office for a two week quarantine and cleaning with just one positive test.

• West Deptford (reopens Feb. 16)
• North Bergen (reopens Feb. 18)
• Turnersville (reopens Feb. 22)
• Jersey City (reopens Feb. 24)
• Camden (reopens Feb. 25)
• Paterson (reopens Feb. 26)

All MVC offices will be closed on Monday for President's Day.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ

EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story should have said that the staffing problem was not related to COVID-19.