Next state closure day happens on
Friday, November 26 2010
State workers take unpaid day-off to save taxpayers about $2 million
Salem — Because of budget reductions for state agencies, most state offices will close on Friday, November 26, requiring 26,500 state employees to take mandatory unpaid furloughs on that day, the Oregon Department of Administrative Services (DAS) announced Monday.
The closure on November 26 is the eighth of 10 closure dates the state has scheduled over the current two-year budget period. Each day of closure will save an estimated $2 million in personnel costs, said DAS Director Scott Harra. While the closures affect both management and non-management employees, many state workers will take up to four additional days of unpaid furlough on a floating basis over the remainder of the biennium.
State agencies will do everything possible to minimize any hardship the closures might cause, DAS Director Scott Harra said. Customers can still do business with DMV and some other state agencies online, even though the offices are closed. Harra encouraged the public to check agencies’ websites to find out whether online transactions are possible on the closure day.
Some workers will stay on the job
Harra emphasized that certain state employees who provide essential services in public safety will remain on the job as usual—State Police officers, corrections officers, certain state hospital workers, and many ODOT workers, for example.
Unions, state negotiated which days to close
Last year, the state’s management team and the unions that represent state workers negotiated an agreement that specifies which days to designate as closure days. The negotiators took into account the need to minimize public inconvenience while keeping critical operations open and functioning.
State websites offer information on closures
The Oregon Department of Administrative Services has published information about Friday’s closure and furloughs on the state’s website (www.Oregon.gov), along with a schedule of the remaining closure days. Members of the public can also find out which state offices will remain open on the closure days. Harra urged the public to check individual agencies’ websites for additional information.
The state has scheduled the following dates as closure days with mandatory unpaid furloughs (all are Fridays):
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
Source: News Release 11/23/10 - Oregon Department of Administrative Services
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