TOPEKA, Kan.–Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback signed a bill over the weekend that will keep state workers from being furloughed.
Before the agreement was reached, several credit unions in the state that serve state workers had been preparing to provide assistance in the event paychecks would be stopped. On Friday the state had sent furlough notices to 24,200 workers deemed “nonessential.”
The furloughs had seemed likely as the state legislature has not yet been able to agree on a budget for Kansas’ fiscal year, which begins July 1. Lawmakers are divided on the issue of raising taxes to cover a shortfall in the budget.
The lack of a budget means Kansas has no legal authority to pay employees to work. Because employee compensation lags behind the work done, pay for the two-week period that began on Sunday, June 7, will be distributed on time in two weeks.
The legislation signed by the governor declares that all state employees are “essential” and must stay on the job.