Governor Paterson Announces Furlough Plan for State Workforce

ALBANY, NY (04/27/2010)(readMedia)-- Governor Paterson today announced his intention to include one furlough day per week for most Executive Branch State employees during each weekly emergency appropriation bill period until a responsible final 2010-11 budget is passed.

"I have sought to work with the State's public employee unions in order to help achieve the savings needed to address our State's historic budget deficit, but, thus far, they have been unwilling to do what is necessary," Governor Paterson said. "The State is facing fiscal and cash crises of unprecedented magnitude, and I am being forced to implement difficult actions such as this in order to put our State on the path to recovery."

Under the Governor's proposal, State agency commissioners will be given the discretion to schedule their employees' one furlough day per week, beginning the week of May 10. Employees will not come to work on their furlough day and will not be paid for their furlough day. Employees would not be allowed to charge their accruals to offset this salary reduction and agencies would not be able to use overtime to make up for loss of productivity.

Public Health and Safety would not be jeopardized. The Budget Director would designate positions providing direct care or certain security services as "essential" and the employees serving in those positions would not be furloughed. Examples include: Correction Officer; Nurse; and, State Trooper. Management/Confidential employees will also not be subject to the furlough, since, unlike union employees, their scheduled general salary increase has been eliminated in each of the last two years.

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