'Furlough Friday' closures ending today

<p>The Department of Motor Vehicles and other state offices in Santa Rosa are closed today, but this marks the final “Furlough Friday” as the state returns to a five-day workweek, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced Thursday.</p><p>In the wake of the state’s budget accord, the governor is negotiating labor agreements with unions to include the money-saving furlough policy and still keep government offices open daily.</p><p>The furloughs ordered by the governor to help offset California’s massive budget deficit amount to two unpaid days off per month, or a 9.2 percent pay cut. Those days have been the first and third Fridays of the month since the beginning of February.</p><p>An agreement reached with the Service Employees International Union, the state’s largest union, requires those workers to take off one unpaid day of their choosing each month through June 2010, when the new budget expires. The Legislature still needs to approve the deal that includes concessions from the union.</p><p>All other state workers still must take off two unpaid days they select each month through June of next year, unless their unions make similar deals, said Rachel Cameron, a spokeswoman for the governor.</p><p>“It just became apparent following the agreement, since SEIU represents nearly half of all state workers, that we would need to move all state employees to self-directed furloughs,” she said.</p><p>Ending “Furlough Friday” means less frustration for individuals and companies seeking services or doing business with dozens of state agencies.</p><p>“The fact that we are now open for business as usual, it’s good. It is helpful to conduct business, and meetings can be scheduled on days when our offices were going to be closed,” said Luis Rivera, assistant executive officer for the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board.</p><p>The agency works with landowners, business owners, farmers and governments on waste discharge permits and water basin plans to regulate water quality.</p><p>Rivera said officials received word late Thursday about the end to “Furlough Fridays” and now must figure how to schedule unpaid days off and still get their work done.</p><p>“We’re in uncharted territory when it comes to the state government and the budget and what happens. We will adapt,” he said.</p><p>Most state workers are expected to take unpaid days each month because their monthly paychecks will reflect two fewer paid workdays. Workers can choose to group unpaid days or take them at later times, but they must use them up by June 2012, said Lynelle Jolley, spokeswoman for the state Department of Personnel Administration.</p><p>Furloughs, combined with two fewer paid holidays, more limits on overtime, and some layoffs will save the state $1.4billion through June 2010.</p><p>You can reach Staff Writer Michael Coit at 521-5470 or mike.coit@pressdemocrat.com.</p>