Thousands of state workers stay home as part of governor's ... - Los Angeles Times
Schwarzenegger's administration said the furloughs would save $1.3 billion over the next 17 months, but some workers and officials have questioned that figure, arguing that the resulting overtime and lost federal dollars in some services could end up costing at least as much as the furloughs save.The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office warned that such 24-hour facilities as prisons and mental hospitals, which already are short-staffed and paying substantial overtime, probably will not save the state money by forcing workers to take unpaid days off.
LaRae Bustamante, furloughed from her job processing disability claims at the Department of Social Services headquarters in Sacramento, questioned how keeping her from her federally funded work would save the state money.
"It's ridiculous," Bustamante said. "It's blowing up the house when the roof needs fixing. My disabled clients are going to have to go two days a month without their cases being worked on."