CA: State begins first wave of staff layoffs

Sac Bee ^ | 9/26/03 | John Hill

[NormsRevenge]

A season of anxiety for state workers started in earnest this week with the issuance of as many as 200 pink slips, the first wave of work force reductions expected to total in the thousands.

"It's safe to say that there will be layoff notices going out every week for a while now," said Lynelle Jolley, a spokeswoman for the Department of Personnel Administration.

[DoctorZIn]

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[NormsRevenge]

.

NOTE --- California Conservatives & taXpayers.. You are surplus as well and will be dealt with accordingly. :-o

[tubebender]

It's a start...I think.

[Weimdog]

Oh no! Crisis, Crisis!

"the Department of Finance has approved plans that reduce the work force by 4,065 positions, including unfilled vacancies. Of this number, 628 will be through layoffs, Peace said. The total work force subject to the reductions is about 200,000."

628 layoffs in a workforce over 200,000? They're just scratching the surface.

---

The following data pertains to employees (State government, California State Universities, and Judicial Council) paid through the State Controller's Office Uniform State Payroll System in the July 2003 pay period.


Number of payroll warrants issued monthly 169,352
Number of direct deposit payments issued monthly 239,986
Percentage of employees on direct deposit 63%
Amount of gross wages paid monthly $1,177,199,078
Amount of net wages paid monthly $788,463,151
Amount of Federal taxes withheld monthly $121,566,208
Amount of State taxes withheld monthly $33,372,915
Amount of payroll deductions withheld monthly $125,199,360

The following data pertains to employees (excluding California State Universities) appointed to the State Controller's Office Employment History Data Base.


Number of active full-time employees 196,388
Number of active part-time employees 5,287
Number of active intermittent employees 29,151
Number of active indeterminate employees 56
Total number of active employees 230,882

http://www.sco.ca.gov/ppsd/empinfo/demo/index.shtml

[proxy_user]

If they are laying off on the basis of seniority, as usually happens, they are very unlikely to lay off those who are not doing any work.

[kellynla]

Thanks for the info. It would be interesting to know how many "new hires" since 1/2003...I understand that in spite of the huge deficit, that there have been tens of thousands of "new hires" since the last election not to mention the "pay raises" to existing state employees like the prison guards.

[Mr. Bird]

The unions agreed to forgo 5 percent pay increases for a year in return for an extra day off every month and bigger state contributions toward health care coverage.

The state screwed the pooch on that deal. There are 2080 hours in a 52 week, 8 hour day year. If there were no additional days off (holidays, sick, vacation), the extra day off that was negotiated amounts to 4.6 percent of the work year.

But we all know they get other days off. For arguments's sake, let's say the average union employee gets 2 weeks vacation (10 days), 6 sick days, and 7 holidays. That would reduce the actual work year to 1896 hours. The additional 12 days will then constitute slightly more than 5% of the work year. And don't forget the state agreed to bigger contributions to health coverage!

So, in exchange for a completely understandable wage freeze, the state agreed to spend more in other ways. And let's not even get into the fact that a day off by a state employee is not made up by either coworkers or the worker themselves. It is a lost, paid day. No wonder California is dying.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Yeah, we should all move to that mega economic powerhouse of Maryland.

[Mr. Bird]

Well, I left CA for MD in '94 and never looked back. We've got problems to be sure, but I don't regret the move.

[Publius6961]

Before I accept any politician's or bureaucrat's expression of crocodile tears, I want them to acknowlege the number of State employees now vs when Gray was elected.

There has been NO detectable improvement in the State's service level anywhere nor competent attention to the State's necessary infrastructure.

They did fund dozens of gay parades and other "critical" pathological needs...

[Weimdog]

EMPLOYEES IN CALIFORNIA STATE GOVERNMENT
1975-76 TO 2000-01

1975-76
206,361

1976-77
213,795

1977-78
221,251

1978-79
218,530

1979-80
220,193

1980-81
225,567

1981-82
228,813

1982-83
228,489

1983-84
226,695

1984-85
229,845

1985-86
229,641

1986-87
232,927

1987-88
237,761

1988-89
248,173

1989-90
254,589

1990-91
260,622

1991-92
261,713

1992-93
260,939

1993-94
265,035

1994-95
269,004

1995-96
271,076

1996-97
271,966

1997-98
264,551

1998-99
282,860

1999-00
296,076

2000-01
311,239

http://216.239.57.104/search?q=cache:pYPrYGdsHTgJ:countingcalifornia.cdlib.org/pdfdata/csa02/C05+total+california+state+employees&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

[Joe Hadenuf]

Enjoy the fast approaching winter that is just about upon you....No offense, but if I had to leave Cal and go to Maryland, I'd go completely berserk.....

[Mr. Bird]

No offense taken. We're planning on heading back West in a few years, but AZ and NV are as far as I go. I think CA is just too damned big to be governed effectively from Sacramento.

It's always been a radical state (meaning revolutionary in the Prop. 13 sense), and I think they should try a republican model within the state. Take the power out of the capital and create 5 or six districts. Govern at that level with oversight by a tiny presence (but necessary) in Sacramento.

Someone in San Diego shouldn't pay for the needs of those in San Francisco, and vice versa.

[Salvation]

Very interesting stats there in the last three years! Davis????

[Constitutional Patriot]

"Well, I left CA for MD in '94 and never looked back."

Isn't that like going from Cuba to China? I really shouldn't comment since I live in New Jersey. I'm suprised that they haven't built a wall around NJ yet...

[Mr. Bird]

Isn't that like going from Cuba to China?

Excellent comparison. I ended up here in the PRofM chasing job prospects, and it turned out very well. California is still the most beautiful state I've ever seen, but living in a land of $500k homes with poor employment prospects is not for me.

Ultimate plan is ranchin' it in the high desert. As for you, for heaven's sake, get out of there!

[Joe Hadenuf]

We're planning on heading back West in a few years

Welcome back to the west!

[Brandon]

The state screwed the pooch on that deal. There are 2080 hours in a 52 week, 8 hour day year. If there were no additional days off (holidays, sick, vacation), the extra day off that was negotiated amounts to 4.6 percent of the work year.

Either I'm missing something, or you are. 4.6% of 2080 is 95+ hours. I think maybe you misplaced a decimal point?

[Bob]

Either I'm missing something, or you are. 4.6% of 2080 is 95+ hours. I think maybe you misplaced a decimal point?

Not really, it's twelve 8-hour work days off or about 96 hours.