Friday's mandatory state furlough closures
OREGON – Friday, March 19, is the third of 10 state furlough days scheduled over the next two years.
The move requires unpaid time off at more than 60 agencies, including the Employment Department, the Construction Contractors Board, the Department of Fish & Wildlife, many of the Department of Human Services offices, the Oregon Lottery and the Department of Motor Vehicles (including license renewal and DEQ testing). Officials expects the mandatory closures will save the state $2 million to $2.5 million this Friday, just in payroll alone.
Not all workers are off. The Liquor Control Commission remains open, as does the Secretary of State and Oregon State Treasury offices.
State police and corrections officers also are working, as are state courts, highway hazard crew and anyone critical to safety. We're told those workers will have to take an unpaid day off later, or take a pay cut.
The next furlough day will be Friday, April 16.
Oregon is not the only state requiring these unpaid days off. Nearly half of the states in America are requiring furloughs to save tax dollars.
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