Chesterfield schools institute mandatory furlough

By: | SCNow
Published: January 06, 2009

The Chesterfield County School District has instituted mandatory furloughs for all employees, including teachers and district office staff, to help offset the latest state budget cut of more than $1 million, according to a press release issued Tuesday afternoon by the district.

The latest state budget cut totals $1.6 million and is one of three so far this school year. Total budget cuts are about $3 million.

Superintendent Dr. John E. Williams canceled Monday’s teacher in-service day with the intention that it would be an unpaid holiday.

“This is a serious situation,” Williams said in the release. “We will try to make this process as painless as possible for all employees, but this is a necessary step as we try to make up for the loss in state funding. “Also, if the state legislature doesn’t act, we will be looking at a serious reduction in our work force for the next school year.”

Williams said it may not be the last of the furloughs that district teachers, administrators, and staff will have to take during the remainder of the school year. He said he may recommend future unpaid days to the school board as necessary.

The board of trustees will meet Monday to determine if those days are needed.

If all employees are furloughed for five days, it will amount to about one-fourth of the district’s state budget cuts from the state so far, according to the release. For the district to mandate these days as unpaid, the state legislature may have to approve the action.

In addition to the furlough, Williams has requested a reduction in all unnecessary spending.