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Quinn Practically Scraps Furlough Plan
A few thousand state government workers are breathing a sigh of relief, now that Governor Pat Quinn has nearly reversed his decision to drastically change the furlough plan that he implemented for this fiscal year. Quinn had ordered all non-union employees to take 24 unpaid days off, but his office has since issued emergency rules to alter that decision.

Last Friday, Quinn's office issued a memo that he was imposing emergency rules that would let those workers take their vacation and personal time, which are paid days off, as furlough days. That means Quinn could still claim that he instituted a furlough program, even though it might not save a dime now.

State Senator Larry Bomke, whose district includes many state government workers, says this could simply be an attempt by the governor to save face, if Quinn realized that it was a mistake. Bomke points out that these workers took furlough days last year that amounted to about a five percent pay cut, and now Quinn's asking for more. Bomke also says that while Quinn assured workers that it wouldn't hurt their pensions, the retirement systems ruled that it would.

Quinn claimed the furloughs would save the state $18 million, but there's no word on if any real furlough days will now be taken. Neither the governor's office nor the Department of Central Management Services, which wrote up the new rules, would agree to an interview about this development.

(Illinois Radio Network)
08 26 10 by Newsroom
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