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September 25, 2015

State of Maine issues layoff notices in response to possible federal shutdown

Fifty-five state employees whose positions are entirely or partially funded by the federal government have received layoff notices effective Sept. 30, the Bangor Daily News reported Thursday.

But the layoffs will be rescinded if Congress can reach a budget deal before then, Alex Willette, spokesman for the Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services, told the newspaper.

Willette said the layoff letters were a precaution, and  employees received them this week because the state’s contracts with labor unions require it. Most of the 55 employees work in the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.

In December 2013, the state issued 58 layoff notices as a result of another threat of a federal government shutdown and later rescinded them.

Following the surprise announcement Friday morning that House Speaker John Boehner will resign from Congress at the end of October, Bloomberg reported that the announcement would allow Boehner to schedule a quick vote on a funding bill, potentially shifting the shutdown risk to December.

 

Read more:

LePage sends layoff notices to 58 state workers

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