Alabama Legislature rejects personnel board plan to furlough workers to avoid layoffs

Ala. lawmakers nix plan to furlough state workers

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The Alabama Legislature has rejected the state Personnel Board’s efforts to create a furlough plan for state employees.

A policy approved by the Personnel Board last year would have allowed state agencies to furlough employees for up to 24 days a year to reduce payroll costs. The Alabama State Employees Association opposed the plan and the Legislature’s regulatory body, the Legislative Council, voted to block it last year.

The House upheld the council’s action on an unrecorded voice vote Thursday. The Senate had voted to uphold that action on Tuesday.

The Personnel Board said the furlough plan was a way to avoid layoffs in a recession. The employees association said it would be the same as asking workers to take pay cuts.