State buyout numbers are in: 667 will leave
Gov. Martin O'Malley's buyout plan will not save quite as much money as hoped: Just under 700 state workers will leave early, saving the state $30.7 million. The governor's budget assumed 1,000 would leave saving $40 million.
"We had to go to the printer with the budget before we had a chance to decide which we would accept," said O'Malley chief of staff Matthew Gallagher. The budget includes at $120 million cushion, which can be used to absorb the difference, said Shaun Adamec, an O'Malley spokesman.
Three agencies took the bulk of the reductions: Maryland Department of Transportation loses 125; the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene loses 124; and the Department of Human Resources loses 105.
The state's public defenders office, which has gone through a leadership overhaul in recent years, will lose 34.
Workers who leave early receive a base $15,000 lump sum plus $200 for every year of service.
The state reported that 1,230 applied for the program. Gallagher said the O'Malley administration worked with the agencies to be sure no single department was depleted.
"We had to go to the printer with the budget before we had a chance to decide which we would accept," said O'Malley chief of staff Matthew Gallagher. The budget includes at $120 million cushion, which can be used to absorb the difference, said Shaun Adamec, an O'Malley spokesman.
Three agencies took the bulk of the reductions: Maryland Department of Transportation loses 125; the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene loses 124; and the Department of Human Resources loses 105.
The state's public defenders office, which has gone through a leadership overhaul in recent years, will lose 34.
Workers who leave early receive a base $15,000 lump sum plus $200 for every year of service.
The state reported that 1,230 applied for the program. Gallagher said the O'Malley administration worked with the agencies to be sure no single department was depleted.
Comments
So O'Malley created 666 new jobs in 2006 and 667 will leave in 2011.
Posted by: Carole | February 5, 2011 10:24 AM
As a 37 year employee with the Division of Correction-Public Safety and as a member of MPEC union we were sold a bill of goods on the so called buyout. Even though we were aware that there was a possibility we could be denied even if eligible we were placed in a no win situation. When defined as eligible we had a small window to apply and then were left in limbo for 8 weeks to see if we would be approved. Employees like myself had built up leave and if not used could lose as in my case 200 hrs. minimum so time needed to be used or lost(which was not going to happen).
Also as in my unit I was the only applicant-12 other members were in unit so I foolishly believed I would be approved by my agency head General Maynard as he likes to be called (no ego there for this double-triple dipper, sorry General I am gone now) anyway he passed the buck as he usually does to our Commissioner and of 54 applicants in the whole agency only 27 were approved. Initially all were denied but well he had to make it look as if he cared about the budget a little..
Now the Sun clearly shows almost 1300 applicants and 667 approved...wow what a ploy. Well Gov O'Mealey mouthI have set up my own buyout, I will officialy retire as of March 1 , will use up leave I would have lost and still cash out maximum Annual leave and not have to use furlough...so you may have got the first insult by deeming my PIN# as to valuableto lose LOL, but I will win the battle-kind of ironic is it not General as I at age 56 will collect my "lottery check" while escaping a State where I have taken pride serving the people of Maryland in Public Safety but sadly not finding leadership very strong..lucky for me I have a second career where I can now be appritiated as a professional and where a buyout will never be an option :)
Posted by: fred nastri | February 6, 2011 3:19 PM
As I mentioned to several of my colleagues, this buyout was a total joke, I was looking at the hiring of an out of state individual for the DJS position, what about us unemployed Marylander's I know there are people just as qualified as the individual from Va., as usual MOM will continue to screw Marylanders, beware of the next ball to drop regarding layoffs.
Posted by: cm | February 7, 2011 11:09 AM