Maybe she can't shut the government down…
WZZM 13 News
Lansing – The Michigan Civil Service Commission voted Friday morning to honor existing state contracts, a decision that may put the government's shutdown plans in question.
The state panel considered a rule change that would let state workers be laid off up to 20 days in the event of a government shutdown.
In the first of a pair of votes, the Civil Service Commission passed a measure to waive a 28-day notice to state employees.
But in the second vote, the panel voted two to two to honor its contracts – and their individual notices to unions and employees of layoffs.
Scott Bowen, who is director of the Office of State Employer, told WZZM 13 News he and other state leaders would have to discuss what their next steps would be in their shutdown planning. He was not sure if the commission's decision meant employees would be on the job Monday.
Unreal…
Lansing – Layoff letters will go out to 35,000 state employees at 2 p.m. Friday, despite a deadocked vote by the Michigan Civil Service Commission on a rule change that would have allowed quick job suspensions.
The state panel reached a 2-2 vote on the rule change, which would have let state workers be laid off up to 20 days if there is a government shutdown.
But Liz Boyd, the governor's spokeswoman, says layoff plans will proceed and that they will let lawyers work out complaints later with state employees unions.
A statement, Boyd said, "The proposed rule change that the Civil Service Commission considered this morning would have given the state maximum flexibility to manage personnel in the event of a partial government shutdown. Regardless of the decision, if the legislature fails to act and government must partially shutdown, the state will be forced to make layoffs due to a lack of appropriations as required by the constitution."
Negotiations resumed Friday afternoon in the effort by lawmakers and the governor to reach a deal on a balanced state budget.
House Democrats met in caucus at 1 p.m. to get an update on talks.
Lieutenant Governor John Cherry told WZZM 13 News that talks were progressing well, and that Republican and Democratic lawmakers were "closing the gap" on cuts, reforms, and taxes needed for a budget deal.
Gov. Granholm warned the state some services would be suspended Monday, the beginning of the new fiscal year, if a balanced budget was not passed.
Her staff says it is working on a list of state services that would be suspended in the event of a shutdown. That list was expected to be published by Granholm's office after 3:30 p.m. Friday.
[size=150]LMAO[/size]
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