Deficit-Wracked Maryland Calls It Quits (home, inspections, living)

[7th Direction]

An old Onion article from 2003. Strip out Ehrlich and put in O'Malley.

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/29072

But seriously, what is up with talk of furloughs?? About 8 years ago, I was offered a State job... boy, I'm glad I didn't take it!!!

Any Maryland State workers concerned/scared/angry?

[cutgarden]

7th, I believe he's talking about 6 unpaid days off. It's not like they're getting laid off for months.

[7th Direction]

Originally Posted by cutgarden

7th, I believe he's talking about 6 unpaid days off. It's not like they're getting laid off for months.

Eh... but it could mean a disturbing trend...

[psychofan]

better than being permanently laid off

[Merlander]

Originally Posted by 7th Direction

About 8 years ago, I was offered a State job... boy, I'm glad I didn't take it!!!

These days I'll bet it's safer to be a federal worker, although even that's not 100%.

[janetvj]

The problem is that state employees are such an easy target. People think all government employees are lazy, overpaid, and have gravy jobs. The reality is so much different it isn't funny. Maryland state employees make much less than those in comparable positions in the federal, county and surrounding state goverment, as well as in the private sector. And while we're often made to sacrifice during hard times, we never share the wealth in good times. I've worked for the state for 31 years, and during that time have gone many years without a cost of living adjustment. Even in good times, the cola has never been more than 2 1/2%. Benefits used to be above-average, but they have eroded drastically over the years. As a result, it is impossible to recruit and retain qualified employees, so customer service suffers. It's ironic that the same people who support furloughs and low pay are the people who scream the loudest when they don't receive service as promptly as they believe they should.

[janetvj]

And not to sound like I'm ranting, but being furloughed really just means a pay cut. When a manufacturer, for example, shuts down for a day or two, the workers come back afterwards and the line starts up again, and they pick up where they left off. The way the proposed furloughs are going to be handled, State government might be closed for 2 days, and then, certain employees may be absent as many as 3 additional days, but that doesn't mean that the work that needs to be done is any less than it would have been. Maryand's citizens won't be needing fewer services just because the offices are closed for 2 days, or certain employees are told to stay home for a few more days. The same amount of claims will need to be processed, and the same number of inspections will need to be done, and the same number of cases will need to be handled, etc., etc. The same amount of work will have to be done; there will just be fewer days to do it, and the individual employees responsible to get it done will therefore be paid less to do it.

[firefightermom]

My husband may be furloughed as well...doesn't sound smart when that means the fire/EMT service would be running understaffed. Hope there are no fires or emergencies on those days.

[cutgarden]

I hear what everyone is saying. But there are a couple MILLION people that would gladly take ONLY 6 unpaid vacation days.

[westsideboy]

The furlough days are not really any different than Saturday and Sunday. The work sits on your desk over the weekend and you don't get paid for not being there. I work for the state and am thrilled to have a couple of extra days off. Rumour has it, the first of those days are going to be Dec. 26th and Jan. 2nd, days where most people are off and very little work needs to get done anyway.

In tough times everybody needs to be willing to make a sacrifise. In Western Maryland a state job and benefits is enough to support a family, own a house, and live the bourgeois life style. As a result we have educated, competant people working state jobs out here and I will stand by our customer service and work output.