County, Union Reach Agreement on Voluntary Furloughs

By Stan Matthews
County Communications Program Manager

San Juan County and Local 1849 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), which represents approximately 58 percent of the County’s workforce, have agreed on a policy offering employees the option to take voluntary furlough days to help reduce payroll costs this year.

The policy allows individual employees to take up to five days off without pay, provided the furlough is approved in advance by the employee’s department head.

Some unrepresented employees have already taken uncompensated days off to help reduce the County’s revenue shortfall.

The County Council began the 2009 budget process by drastically reducing department budget requests and tightening provisions for working cash. It has twice since made significant reductions in the 2009 County operating budget – in the process reducing the County’s workforce by approximately 8 percent (23 positions) and reducing the hours of 11 percent (27 positions) of its remaining workers.

Facing a projected shortfall of $750,000 in the 2010 budget beyond the cuts already in place, the Council has placed a property tax “lid lift” measure on the November general election ballot. However, even if that measure passes, Auditor Milene Henley has projected that there will be fewer dollars available for the 2010 County Current operating budget than in 2009.

Because the furloughs are strictly voluntary, County officials say there is no way to project how much money may be saved, but County Administrator Pete Rose said it was heartening that the union came forward with this proposal to allow its members to take voluntary furloughs.

An announcement sent to employees on September 3 said that applications to take furlough days this year must be turned in to department heads by September 27.

Under state law, employees who take voluntary furlough days will not have retirement benefits reduced.