Unpaid days off for state employees would go away

Those unpaid furlough days for Arizona state employees would be a thing of the past under Gov. Jan Brewer’s proposed new state budget.

Legislation that was part of the current state budget mandated six unpaid furlough days off for most state workers in each the current fiscal year and the next one to save a projected $20 million.

Five furlough days have been taken so far during the current year.

But Brewer budget Director John Arnold says savings being achieved through other means should allow discontinuation of the furlough program. Brewer would eliminate the sixth furlough day this year and all six next year.