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Governor Steve Beshear's Communications Office
State offices to close Friday for statewide furlough day
Furlough plan saves taxpayer dollars while limiting impact to service delivery
FRANKFORT, Ky.– State offices will be closed on Friday, November 12, as part of the state’s budget balancing plan to furlough state government workers a total of six days in Fiscal Year 2011, as authorized by the 2010-12 biennial budget passed by the General Assembly. The furloughs are estimated to save taxpayers approximately $24 million, as well as prevent laying off more than 400 state employees. State offices will also be closed on Thursday, Nov. 11 in observance of Veterans Day.
“By scheduling this furlough day on the Friday following Veterans Day, I hope we will lessen the impact to citizens who rely on state services,” said Gov. Steve Beshear. “The closure of state offices for this and the other two common days will increase operational savings by decreasing energy and other operational costs.”
The vast majority of executive branch state employees are included in the furlough plan, including non-merit employees and merit system employees, full-time and part-time, the Governor and all cabinet secretaries and contract workers.
In order to keep needed services available, a limited number of state offices have been approved to remain open or partially open on Nov. 12. Employees approved to receive an exception and remain at work on Nov. 12 will take their furlough on another day in November.
Facilities providing 24/7 care, such as juvenile justice facilities, have designed furlough schedules that will allow services to continue. Some training offices will remain open, and emergency response teams will remain available as needed.
A limited number of exemptions have been granted to groups of employees who perform critical services in 24/7 facilities or in public safety. These employee groups will not take part in the furloughs:
- Mental health personnel: Employees who provide direct patient care at state run mental health facilities will not be furloughed to assure appropriate patient care and safety in these facilities.
- Corrections officers, medical personnel at prisons: Employees who ensure safety, security and medical needs at 24/7 facilities will not be furloughed to preserve public safety.
- Kentucky State Police officers and communications personnel: Uniformed law enforcement officers and telecommunicators for the Kentucky State Police will not be furloughed to ensure the safety and security of the citizens of the Commonwealth.
The furlough plan includes three common days during which state offices will be closed that are adjacent to existing state holiday weekends. In addition, employees were furloughed in October for the first of three other non-designated days during the fiscal year. The furlough plan does not apply to the Legislative or Judicial Branches, as the General Assembly only authorized furloughs for the Executive Branch.
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