Those who attempted to renew their driver’s licenses, register for food stamps or obtain a fishing license last Friday encountered the first of several scheduled furlough days for many state agencies.
For 64 state agencies across Oregon, Friday marked the first of their scheduled unpaid days off work — the result of recent state budget cuts.
Gov. Kulongoski announced the revised state contract in July, adding 10 of these unpaid days off work to the majority of state agencies’ 2009-2011 calendars. This reduction in salary expenses trimmed $32 million from the previous contract costs, saving the state at least $2 million each furlough day.
About 6,700 state workers did not have Friday off of work, compared to the 26,500 who stayed home.
While most state workers had a three-day weekend, a few agencies were permitted to keep their doors open on Friday, including universities.
Di Saunders, spokesperson for Oregon University System, said, “Campuses are handling furloughs differently, depending upon the student population and what least disrupts instruction.”
The labor union employed by the state university system recently negotiated its contract, which requires employees to take between eight and 16 furlough days.
Other agencies that remained open included state parks, the correctional department, hospitals, state police and the state legislature.
The Oregon Liquor Control Commission also remained open for business, along with all associated stores selling alcohol. According to the OLCC’s Web site, the agency will have floating, unscheduled furlough days “due to the nature of the business.”
Rod Nichols, spokesperson for the State Forestry Department, which was open Friday, said some patrons were surprised to find that it wasn’t a furlough day for every agency.
“On a couple of occasions this morning, the caller, upon hearing a live person, said, ‘Oh my gosh, you are open!’” Nichols said.
Some state workers affected by the furlough day said the unpaid day off affected both their own ability to cope with the recession and the community members who rely on their agencies.
Among them was Craig Spivey, a spokesperson for the Employment Department, which was closed Friday.
Spivey said Oregonians who depend on unemployment checks would have to wait an extra day because of the closing, creating a potential hardship.
“If they typically expect their check to arrive on Wednesday, it will arrive on Thursday,” Spivey said.
Kulongoski said he hopes employees will understand the reasoning behind the scheduled Friday furlough days.
“The closures amount to salary cuts for state workers that are necessary to reach target savings while maintaining a high level of service during this economic downturn,” said Kulongoski spokesperson Anna Richter Taylor in a press release last week.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Oregon is one of the 21 states implementing or seriously considering furlough days. The last of the state’s planned furlough days will fall on May 20, 2011.
State Mandated Unpaid Furlough Days, 2009-2011
- Oct. 16, 2009
- Nov. 27, 2009
- March 19, 2010
- April 16, 2010
- June 18, 2010
- Aug. 20, 2010
- Sept. 17, 2010
- Nov. 26, 2010
- March 18, 2011
- May 20, 2011
State Agencies Remaining Open on Furlough Days
- Oregon State Hospital
- Fish hatcheries and wildlife areas
- Land Conservation and Development Department
- Military Department
- Liquor Control Commission
- Forestry Department
- Corrections Department
- Parks and Recreations Reservations and Field Operations
- State Police
- Justice Department divisions (Administration Services, Appellate, Civil Enforcement, Criminal Justice, General Counsel, Trial)
- State Treasury and Secretary Offices
- Public Safety Standards and Training
- Parole and Post Prison Supervision Board
- Dentistry Board