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Furlough Folly

Do Furlough Days Save $?
WLNS-TV 6, Lansing

(see video here)

Are we really saving money if state workers are laid off one day but forced to work overtime the next? The governor demanded state workers take 6 unpaid days off over the summer, claiming it would save the state 22 million dollars. It’s a short week for state workers, or at least it’s supposed to be. 37,000 workers are off on Friday to save money. It’s unpaid leave, but many of them will be back on the clock Saturday making overtime.

Rep. Rick Jones, Eaton County: “So how much money are we really saving if we’re paying overtime in different departments?”

That’s the question Representative Rick Jones and two other lawmakers want answered. They’re demanding payroll records from state departments. Jones says those records will show the furloughs are a waste.

Rep. Rick Jones: “I’ve been called by numerous state workers who say they’ve been ordered to work overtime. This makes no sense.”

According to two state employee unions, Department of Human Services workers in at least three counties have or will have to work OT after an unpaid day off. Firefighters for the Department of Natural Resources have to fight fires on their furlough day and the Secretary of State offices are staying open later the day after furlough days. The union says there is no way to avoid this extra work.

Alan Kilar, UAW 6000: “Case loads are at a record high, cases are backed up. The state is in the process of moving to a new computer system. Part of the overtime was to catch up on the computer system.”

So union officials agree the state likely isn’t saving the 22 million the governor promised. We’ll have to see just what the final bill will be. The Department of Human Services confirms workers did work one Saturday after a furlough in June, but a spokesman says those are the only overtime hours caused by the layoffs. The spokesman says DHS has an overtime budget to account for its new computer system and the department is well within their limits. Some lawmakers wonder just how much money those furlough days are actually saving.

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