According to The Star-Ledger, almost 10 percent of its newsroom will get the pink slip in the first layoff in its history.

Here’s the breakdown: 18 part-time and full-time staffers will be laid off today. This is in addition to 16 other employees in other areas of the company for a total of 19 full-timers and 15 part-timers.

Apparently the layoffs are due to financial pressure and ramifications of Hurricane Sandy. To save future costs, it sounds like the newspaper may possibly outsource the printing and packaging. Plus, leadership has been speaking with production unions.

As for the good news? Publisher Richard Vezza indicated, ”This is not a foreshadowing the demise of the paper. We have no plans for further layoffs.”