# Hundreds of employees at UK will be laid off as part of reorganization  
**Published:** 2026-05-06T17:58:48.000Z  
**Source:** [Kentucky Lantern](https://kentuckylantern.com/2026/05/06/hundreds-of-employees-at-the-university-of-kentucky-will-be-laid-off-federal-notices-show/)  
**Republished from:** [Kentucky Lantern](https://kentuckylantern.com/2026/05/06/hundreds-of-employees-at-the-university-of-kentucky-will-be-laid-off-federal-notices-show/) (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)  
**Canonical:** https://kentuckylantern.com/2026/05/06/hundreds-of-employees-at-the-university-of-kentucky-will-be-laid-off-federal-notices-show/

By McKenna Horsley, [Kentucky Lantern](https://kentuckylantern.com) · May 6, 2026

![](https://kentuckylantern.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/IMG_0798-1024x768.jpg) (A statue of "Bowman" on the University of Kentucky is located near the Avenue of Champions opposite Memorial Coliseum. The Patterson Office Tower is in the background. (Kentucky Lantern photo by McKenna Horsley))

Employees at the University of Kentucky, including 926 food service workers, are facing layoffs, according to federally-required notices filed with the state government.

Aramark Campus learned earlier this year that its contract with the university for food and concession services would end on June 30, according to [an April letter](https://kydev.my.salesforce.com/sfc/p/#t00000004X3h/a/eq00000QbQKk/97HSOQBTsXu3P4fz4CdBvLx2l.wNmuRx4f4ngCfIIGc)sent to the Kentucky Career Center.

[UK spokesperson Jay Blanton](https://x.com/jayblantonuk/status/2052091172831592612?s=20) said on X that the university’s “intent is to hire those impacted by this announcement.”

“We regret to inform you that all Aramark employees assigned to that client account will be affected,” the Aramark letter says. A list of positions affected include cooks, caterers, student workers, administrative assistants and more.

UK is in the midst of creating [new private entities](https://integrateblue.uky.edu/) across academics and athletics that may employ some UK personnel as a way to “improve organizational efficiency, consistency and quality of service delivery.”

“We can’t comment on Aramark’s internal employment decisions,” Blanton said. He added that UK is “exploring an [Enterprise Services Partnership](https://evpfa.uky.edu/enterprise-services-partnership), which includes dining and concessions.”

#### Cuts affect healthcare too

An [April letter](https://kydev.my.salesforce.com/sfc/p/#t00000004X3h/a/eq00000QiwhG/SbJ3ukBMv1baTmB89A4sXIh4i4KSDZr2HIX7P0PTOLo) from UK HealthCare says that 61 positions will be eliminated due to restructuring, affecting jobs across the state. A [third April letter](https://kydev.my.salesforce.com/sfc/p/#t00000004X3h/a/eq00000QijIb/GEjtAjS7YOxjX3f2jFXLvD9xWYiGkSG8L2omIcWr.kc)shows UK plans to eliminate 36 positions in the Department of Behavioral Science under the UK College of Medicine. Those jobs were also statewide.

The UK letters say the affected employees do not have bumping rights, which is when senior employees can take lesser roles to avoid termination, or have union representation. They also say the layoffs are expected to be permanent.

The WARN notices are required by the [Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/layoffs/warn) as a way to provide advance notice of plant closings and mass layoffs.

The [Kentucky Career Center](https://kyworks.ky.gov/Services/Pages/Rapid-Response-Layoffs-and-Closures.aspx) published the letters on its website.

The UK Board of Trustees [approved a 15-year contract](https://www.foodservicedirector.com/colleges-universities/university-of-kentucky-moves-forward-with-outsourcing-proposal)with Aramark in 2014. Blanton said in a statement Aramark was notified 180 days in advance that its contract would end, per the terms of the contract. He later added board leaders had been “advised throughout this process, and we will continue to do so as this initiative moves forward.” ****

“In fact, the intent of any new partner will be to hire those impacted by this announcement, subject to any new partner’s employment policies,” Blanton said. “The University has reiterated that commitment to our people and encouraged any new partner to do so.”

Blanton said an incoming partner would buy the remaining capital investment from Aramark, and would cover what the university owes Aramark to end the contract. He added that “is customary during transitions like these.”

The behavioral science and UK HealthCare positions were funded by grants, which have been discontinued, Blanton continued.

“The University is working with those impacted by the loss of this funding and the positions about whether there are other job opportunities with the University or whether they prefer to find employment elsewhere,” Blanton said. “As with University-funded positions, those impacted have received 60 days of notice and pay.”

## Sources

- [Kentucky Lantern](https://kentuckylantern.com/2026/05/06/hundreds-of-employees-at-the-university-of-kentucky-will-be-laid-off-federal-notices-show/)