Furloughs expected for state court system

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The Wisconsin Director of State Courts Office knows that furloughs for more than 570 non-judicial staff are on the horizon.

But when they will start and how they will be implemented is yet to be determined.

“I can’t say right now how the days will impact the court system,” said Deputy Director of State Courts Pam Radloff.

She added that until the 2009-11 budget passes, court officials are working with the Office of State Employment Relations (OSER) to “consider all options.”

On June 23, Gov. Jim Doyle signed an executive order which calls for employees of state agencies and the University of Wisconsin system to take eight days (64 hours) of unpaid leave during each fiscal year of the next biennium.

In addition, state agencies and schools in the UW system would close eight days during the next two years, as well.

According to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, the furloughs would save the state about $120 million during the next two years. The state is facing an estimated $6.6 billion budget deficit.

State court employees are not subject to Doyle’s order, noted Radloff, but the budget does cut approximately $1.9 million annually in salaries for non-judicial court staff.

“Basically, the money taken from the budget is the equivalent of the eight days per year,” said Radloff, who still expected additional furloughs to be discussed.

Keith Sellen, who oversees the 29 state employees at the Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR), said it is hard to estimate to what extent closing the office for the equivalent of almost two weeks throughout the next biennium would have on efficiency.

“Assuming it’s eight [days] for the next two years, it will have some impact,” Sellen said.

“It may result in some minor delays, but I’m not sure what percentage of time will be lost.”

In addition to OLR staff, other non-judicial court employees that would be included in state furloughs include 309 court reporters, 124 staff members in the Director of State Courts Office, 60 staff members in the appellate courts, 32 staff employees in the Supreme Court, 13 state law librarians and six staff members at the Board of Bar Examiners.

As elected officials, judges are exempt from mandated furloughs. But in May, all 267 judges in the state asked for approval of 0.0 percent pay increases during the next biennium. The move is expected to save the state about $1.7 million.

Another $1.2 million will be saved during the next two years as a result of the Supreme Court’s decision to rescind two-percent raises for non-judicial court employees scheduled to take effect July 1.