State workers left in dark as Michigan shutdown, layoffs loom

Michigan is a week away from a possible government shutdown, prompting state employees to push for clarifications on layoffs
Employees had already been notified of their job status in the event of a government shutdown at this point in 2007, 2009 and 2019
New Public Service Commission rules say layoffs lasting under 20 days don’t require notice, but unions say it’s “not really humane”

LANSING — State workers who could see mass layoffs if Michigan’s government shuts down next week have not yet been told whether they’ll continue getting regular paychecks, Michigan union leaders said Wednesday.

It’s “not really humane,” said Jacob VanSickle, president of the Michigan State Employees Association.

“It’s easy for people to think we’re a cog in the wheel, but these are people — the same as everybody else. They have families.”

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration has so far remained mum on potential layoffs for the state’s roughly 50,000 workers — or who her administration will keep on the job as “essential” employees even if the government shuts down.

With the Republican-led House and Democratic-led Senate struggling to finalize a budget by Oct. 1, as required by the Michigan Constitution, Whitmer’s administration has acknowledged that agencies should begin “contingency planning” in the event of a possible government shutdown.

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The governor was more forthcoming in 2019 — the last time Michigan came close to a government shutdown — when many of the state’s roughly 50,000 employees were notified of potential layoffs by mid-September.

When the state government did briefly shut down in 2007 and again in 2009, only to reopen hours later, state employees knew well ahead of time whether to report to work Oct. 1.

In those instances, layoff notices went out to thousands of employees and impacted everything from the Department of Agriculture to the Michigan State Housing Development Authority to the Department of Education.

Troy Summers, a labor relations specialist with the state employees union, said the rules for layoff notices have changed since then.

Under Michigan Civil Service Commission rules adopted in February, the state isn’t obligated to notify people of a temporary layoff — defined as a layoff lasting at most 20 days in a fiscal year — only a permanent one.

It’s not clear how long a government shutdown would last.

But even if it’s not required, telling employees if they should expect layoffs of any length is “the right thing to do,” both Summers and VanSickle said.

“At this point — because the budget hasn’t been figured out, they haven’t really determined if there will be permanent layoffs — we’re concerned that there might be,” Summers said, telling Bridge that as of Wednesday, he had not heard from Whitmer or the Legislature regarding shutdown notices.

Instead, both Whitmer and House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, have separately expressed optimism they could still reach a budget deal in the next six days and avoid a government shutdown.

Government employees “help keep our state running,” Budget Office spokesperson Laura Leeds said Wednesday in a statement.

“Our goal is to ensure that their work and the services they provide are uninterrupted. There has been good progress made over the last few weeks, and we are optimistic that we can get a deal done.”

In past planning for government shutdowns, officials have said Secretary of State branches, unemployment offices, parks, historic sites and other facilities would immediately close. Lottery games could stop and the state’s Liquor Control Commission could stop accepting retail orders.

Schools have warned they could eventually miss state payments, cut universal free meals and even close some preschool programs.

In the interim, Whitmer and legislative leaders continue to negotiate a budget. The Legislature is adding session days in the event there is a deal to vote on.

In the House, Majority Floor Leader Bryan Posthumus, R-Rockford, told reporters the chamber scheduled an additional nine session days through Oct. 17, “just in case … the budget isn’t done.”

Those new meeting dates predominantly fall on Mondays and Fridays, Posthumus added, though he noted some weekend dates were added as well in the event earlier negotiations are not successful.

“We’re going to do everything that we can” in order to get to a completed budget, Posthumus told reporters during Wednesday’s session. “The question is, can we, in divided government, get that done?”

The Democratic-led Senate this week met for a rare Monday session, and have added session days for both Friday and this coming Monday.

To date, House officials have proposed a $78.5 billion budget, Senate officials an $84.5 billion budget and Whitmer an $84 billion budget. Both chambers have passed their respective budgets, but have yet to take up each other’s.