Furloughs, cutbacks planned at state Health Department

Facing a $10.4 million budget shortfall, the Oklahoma State Health Department soon will begin reducing personnel costs.

The agency said Wednesday that employees making $35,000 or more per year must take at least one unpaid day off every two weeks.

The furlough, along with a voluntary buyout that will reduce the number of employees, is a response to declining state and federal funds.

Health Department spokesman Tony Sellers said the decision is not a response to the Legislature’s stalemate in special session, nor is it a precursor to additional budget cuts that might be considered if lawmakers don’t reach a revenue deal.

Legislative leaders have asked each agency how they would respond to cuts of up to 5 percent.

The furlough is authorized through the end of the fiscal year in June.

“We’re obviously hoping we will be able to end it long before then,” Sellers said.

Furloughs are sometimes used by government agencies and private businesses as a way of cutting operating costs.

Every Health Department employee across the state, if they meet the salary restriction, will be affected.

That includes people who inspect restaurants, nursing homes, public swimming pools and other sites regulated by the agency.

Julie Cox-Kain, senior deputy commissioner, said that since federal funds are nearly 60 percent of the agency’s budget, reductions there combined with state appropriation cuts create a perfect storm.

“We are grateful to the Legislature and governor for trying to minimize budget cuts to the department,” Cox-Kain said, noting that state cuts over the last year were just 2.8 percent.

“However, the cumulative annual reduction in state appropriation to the OSDH since 2009 is 29.24 percent.”

The Oklahoma Public Employees Association criticized lawmakers for the decision.

Spokesman Tom Dunning said health inspector workloads will remain the same while inspectors get less pay.

“The furlough days will cause delays in inspections and hurt our state’s ability to respond to a public health emergency.

“This hurts Oklahoma’s public health,” Dunning said. “It is time Oklahoma’s legislators fully fund services to our communities.

“Their constituents providing services as state employees don’t want to hear how much they are appreciated. They want services to be fully funded, and they want a pay raise.”