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An Ohio agency warns that the federal shutdown could mean furloughs for state workers

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — It’s not just federal employees affected by the shutdown of the U.S. government, which is 33 days old and approaching the record of 35 days set in the first Trump administration in 2018. There’s a chance that state employees could also be sidelined or have no paychecks if the shutdown continues.

Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services [Dan Konik | Statehouse News Bureau]
As many as 9,000 state employees across six agencies could face furloughs if federal funding is halted because of the shutdown, according to the Department of Administrative Services. DAS said in a statement those agencies are the Adjutant General, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities, the Ohio Department of Health, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and the Ohio Department of Public Safety.

“While nearly 9,000 state employees received the announcement this afternoon, the projected number of state employees who may actually be subject to furlough would be less than half,” DAS said in its statement. “The potential impact to employees is still being evaluated by these agencies. Additionally, the U.S. Senate’s approval of a clean continuing resolution within the next two weeks will render today’s notices moot as the positions would be funded again.”

But DAS stressed its announcement about the potential for furloughs was informational only. Contracts between agencies and unions require notification of funding interruptions 14 days in advance and affected workers would be notified individually. So for now those employees are at work and getting paid.

There are an estimated 83,000 federal employees in Ohio, according to the Federal Reserve.