Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Atlantic County Employee Furlough Update

Two of the last three scheduled Atlantic County employee furlough days have been eliminated, leaving only one remaining on Friday, November 25, the day after Thanksgiving. The reduction in furlough days resulted after a review of third quarter expenditures.

According to County Executive Dennis Levinson the review found savings in an increase in employee vacancies and a reduction in other costs. That coupled with additional revenue makes the elimination of two furlough days possible.

The furloughs were announced as a way to help prevent employee layoffs and stabilize the county tax rate due to a continued reduction of county value. The county was also informed it would have to come up with an additional refund of $3.4 million more than the $7.3 million already budgeted for tax appeals, the majority of which are due to Atlantic City casinos.

“None of us was pleased with having to implement furlough days, so I am greatly relieved that we can reduce the financial impact on our own employees,” said Levinson.

At one point the county considered 10 furlough days but Levinson reduced that number to five that were scheduled to occur on September 2, October 7, October 17, November 25 and December 23.

County News