LOOKING IN ON: CARSON CITY:

How state furloughs will work, for now

Wednesday, July 1, 2009 | 2 a.m.

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CARSON CITY — With state employees set to take their first furlough days this week, the Personnel Department adopted emergency regulations governing the unpaid time off.

Employees are required to take off eight hours a month without pay — equal to a 4.6 percent pay cut — as part of the Legislature’s alternative to the 6 percent pay cut proposed by Gov. Jim Gibbons.

The regulations will be in effect for 120 days, until permanent rules can be adopted. They include:

• A state agency cannot close its doors to allow the entire staff to take furlough time on the same day.

• Public safety and health agencies may request an exemption from the furloughs, but it must be approved by the state Board of Examiners.

• Employees cannot take a 4.6 percent pay cut in lieu of the furloughs.

• Vacation, sick time and retirement benefits will not be affected by furloughs.

• Requests for overtime pay will be reviewed by the departments of personnel and administration.

Shelley Blotter, administrator of employee and management services with the Personnel Department, said overtime won’t be allowed to erode the savings planned for the furloughs, which legislators projected at $333 million.

State officials said the public will see the effects at state agencies.

Tom Jacobs, spokesman for the state Department of Motor Vehicles, said there may be some slowdown at DMV offices, but “how deeply it will go we don’t know.”

The state Welfare and Supportive Services Division says most of its workers will take their furlough days on one or two Fridays next month — July 10 and 24 — leaving the offices running with half the staffing.

“Obviously furloughs reduce how many people are available to staff our offices, so there’s a commensurate reduction in how much work we can get done,” said Romaine Gilliland, administrator of the division.

•••

Metro Police and the state health insurance system have reached an agreement, ending a long-running dispute over subsidies for retired officers.

Metro will pay the system $125,000 to cover subsidy premiums for 2003-05, and the Public Employees Benefits Program Board has agreed forgive $456,000 in penalties.

Christine Guerci-Nyhus, chief deputy state attorney general, said the police department has agreed to pay subsidies on retired officers who decide to enlist in the state health insurance system.

The dispute reached the Nevada Supreme Court, which ruled last year that Metro must pay the subsidies for its estimated 300 retirees in the system.

Metro has paid $1.2 million for 2005 to the present.

The 2003 Legislature ordered local governments and school districts provide their retirees who join the state system with at least the same subsidy the state provides for its retirees. Metro argued it was exempt because its benefits were provided by a trust and negotiated through collective bargaining.

Discussion: 8 comments so far…

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By cnev

July 1, 2009

7:51 a.m.

Suggest removal

I think each agency affected by the furloughs should shut their doors for the day. Look at what is happening in California-employees are told to schedule furlough days but are too afraid they will lose their jobs if they take them. Managers know this.
You get what you pay for. If cuts are made, the public needs to understand what that means. Nevada is famous for, "We want it all but don't want to pay a dime" mentality.
Close the doors and see what you are really paying for-
By davidwayneosedach

July 1, 2009

10:38 a.m.

Suggest removal

It is very interesting to note that they are "starting" with ONE day. This is ominous. There will be more to come. Who knows how many?
By UNLVStud

July 1, 2009

11:37 a.m.

Suggest removal

I agree. Close the services down one day a week. This will show the public a concrete example of what their taxes go to pay. Maybe next session there will be more of an outcry to remove the constitutional ban againtst taxing Mining, one of the biggest industries of the State, in order to get our services up to average again.
By GunslingerA10

July 1, 2009

12:52 p.m.

Suggest removal

Caution

It may be noticed that most offices affected by the furloughs can provide the necessary services in a four day workweek. This then may lead to a four day reduced month across the board for all departments, overall showing the obesity of our government.

The light is shinning bright on waste and how all levels of government have operated inefficiently in the past. Now the mantra will be "Do more with less".

The FF are not willing to adjust to the economic situation in the county, so they will be seeing a greater impact visa-vie through "Brown Outs", till the budget is meet.

Best of luck to the FF for bring more wrath to all the county departments, way-to-go.
By NewToThis

July 1, 2009

2:40 p.m.

Suggest removal

NRS 281.110 does not allow for office closures.
By GunslingerA10

July 1, 2009

3:10 p.m.

Suggest removal

They don't need to close them just reduce the manning.
By peas2all

July 1, 2009

5:56 p.m.

Suggest removal

This is the same Shelley Blotter that recently tried to give herself a 10% salary increase when she was acting director for about five minutes. It's okay if SHE's making more money, just not anyone that's actually doing work.

http://dop.nv.gov/PCmin22709.pdf
By crackedbeak

July 2, 2009

3:50 p.m.

Suggest removal

Why make them take a full day off? 8 hours a month=2 hours a week, let them go home an hour or two early or come in late. Close every office 2 hours early on Friday, everybody has weekenditis anyway. Too many sensible solutions. Wish the so-called "leaders" in government would use their brain.