On Tuesday, Governor Jim Pillen signed an executive order to cut nearly 1,000 vacant state jobs by ceasing funding for positions that have been empty for more than 90 days. The reallocation of these funds will be managed by the budget administrator, as specified in the order.
The order exempts critical roles such as law enforcement officers, correctional officers, firefighters, children and family services specialists, and other public safety-related positions. Additionally, positions that provide direct operational support to facilities offering 24-hour services, as well as highway maintenance and construction roles, will not be affected by this policy.
The Governor’s office estimates that this move will save the state approximately $40 million. An 18-page list details the state positions that have been vacant for at least 90 days, highlighting 362 roles within the Department of Health and Human Services. Although most listed positions became vacant in the past three years, some have been unfilled since as early as 2017.
The Nebraska Association of Public Employees, a labor union representing over 8,000 state employees across Nebraska’s 93 counties, criticized the decision through a press release. Justin Hubly, the Executive Director of the union, expressed concerns that this reduction could lead to longer wait times at DMV offices, increased hold times for Medicaid applications, and delays in unemployment service delivery. He stressed the importance of maintaining adequate staffing levels to continue providing efficient services and attracting new public employees.
According to the union, over one in five state jobs are currently vacant, awaiting qualified candidates. Union members are set to begin negotiations for a new labor contract in September, as per state law.
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