Published: Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Some state offices closed on Monday
Nearly 35,000 employees from 50 agencies will be idled without pay in the first of 10 mandatory furloughs.
OLYMPIA — Much of state government will be shut down Monday as workers and managers are placed on mandatory furlough.
About a third of the state's work force — roughly 35,000 employees — will be idled without pay. Some 50 agencies will be affected in varying degrees including the Office of the Governor and the departments of commerce, ecology and licensing.
It means no visitor tours of the state Capitol. State troopers will be on patrol but many of their colleagues will be off work. While state liquor stores will be open, the Liquor Control Board offices will not.
Services provided by child protection workers, community corrections officers and emergency public health and patient safety workers are not subject to furlough.
Colleges and offices led by other elected officials were required to come up with ways of cutting personnel costs. Some, such as the Superintendent of Public Instruction, are furloughing workers Monday as part of their cost-cutting plans
Monday is the first of 10 unpaid days scheduled in the coming year. They are the result of legislative action earlier this year to deal with a $2.8 billion budget hole.
The Democrat-controlled Legislature ordered agencies to cut their spending on personnel by certain amounts and allowed use of furloughs to attain the target.
The Office of Financial Management estimates the unpaid days off will trim spending by $70 million, about half of which are state dollars. The rest represents federal funds, grants and contracts.
The Washington Federation of State Employees had sought a court order to block the furloughs. A Thurston County Superior judge turned down the request last week though the suit will continue.
Reporter Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623; jcornfield@heraldnet.com
About a third of the state's work force — roughly 35,000 employees — will be idled without pay. Some 50 agencies will be affected in varying degrees including the Office of the Governor and the departments of commerce, ecology and licensing.
It means no visitor tours of the state Capitol. State troopers will be on patrol but many of their colleagues will be off work. While state liquor stores will be open, the Liquor Control Board offices will not.
Services provided by child protection workers, community corrections officers and emergency public health and patient safety workers are not subject to furlough.
Colleges and offices led by other elected officials were required to come up with ways of cutting personnel costs. Some, such as the Superintendent of Public Instruction, are furloughing workers Monday as part of their cost-cutting plans
Monday is the first of 10 unpaid days scheduled in the coming year. They are the result of legislative action earlier this year to deal with a $2.8 billion budget hole.
The Democrat-controlled Legislature ordered agencies to cut their spending on personnel by certain amounts and allowed use of furloughs to attain the target.
The Office of Financial Management estimates the unpaid days off will trim spending by $70 million, about half of which are state dollars. The rest represents federal funds, grants and contracts.
The Washington Federation of State Employees had sought a court order to block the furloughs. A Thurston County Superior judge turned down the request last week though the suit will continue.
Reporter Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623; jcornfield@heraldnet.com
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• State • GovernorMore information
Information on what led to the furloughs can be found at http://ofm.wa.gov/layoff/.
For details on how agencies are responding in the next year go to http://ofm.wa.gov/layoff/agency_list.pdf.
Here are the rest of the dates that state workers will be on furloughs: 2010: Aug. 6, Sept. 7, Oct. 11, Dec. 27; 2011: Jan. 28, Feb. 22, March 11, April 22, June 10
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