State agencies warn of furloughs, layoffs

Posted at: 10/27/2009 9:55 PM | Updated at: 10/28/2009 7:16 AM
By: Joe Vigil Eyewitness News 4; Matthew Kappus, KOB.com

Sec. Kaite Falls

More than 4,000 state employees from just two state agencies may be forced to take unpaid time off.

Lawmakers were hoping to avoid furloughs while trying to balance the state's $650 million revenue shortfall. But state employees who are struggling now in this economy could take another big hit by being forced to take time off without pay—a lot of time if you work for the Human Services Department.

"We are analyzing this and are thinking it could be as many as 15 days that we would have to furlough staff across the department," said Katie Falls, secretary of the Human Services Department. That means more than 2,000 people.

That time would have to be taken off in the current fiscal year—meaning three weeks unpaid leave between now and June.

"This is the paycheck they use to feed their families. And when you start cutting into people's salaries, it has a big impact on our staff across the state," Falls said.

Human Services is even talking about layoffs as it faces a 7.6 percent cut.

Another state agency, CYFD, is talking about furloughs. It could amount to nine days off without pay for around 2,400 employees.

Both agencies expect their clients to suffer too. Benefits could be cut or eliminated for many people on Medicaid. And at CYFD, they expect to have a much tougher time investigating child abuse and neglect cases.

Both agencies want to make it clear that the budget cuts aren't a done deal. It all depends on whether the governor signs the current budget proposal before him. Richardson has until Nov. 12 to take action.

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