Layoff notices are expected go out to 100 Cook County employees as the first round of cuts called for by Board President Toni Preckwinkle, according to the Chicago Sun Times. Preckwinkle is calling for 1,055 layoffs to save a reported $40 million in an attempt to close the county's $315 million budget shortfall. The layoffs will comes from a number of different county offices.

“The president doesn’t take this lightly, but unfortunately this is the economic reality we live in today,” said Owen Kilmer, spokesman for Preckwinkle, reports the newspaper.

Preckwinkle has proposed that union workers take eight unpaid days off to cut the number of layoffs to 500. County officials say they are still negotiating with labor leaders on the issue.