TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Gov. Sam Brownback’s office says the Kansas Department of Labor is ending most of the furloughs imposed on its workers because of the federal government’s partial shutdown and won’t put others on unpaid leave.
Brownback spokeswoman Eileen Hawley said Thursday that the governor will use the state’s cash reserves to maintain staffing for the program that provides benefits to unemployed workers.
Most of the department’s salaries and operations are financed with federal funds. Last week, it announced it was furloughing 66 employees in various divisions, most of them in Topeka. The department said Thursday that all but seven of them will return to their jobs.
And Brownback’s office said he directed the department to cancel plans for furloughing another 119 employees Friday so that unemployment checks could still be processed.
