Furloughs End At Broward State Attorney's Office

Good news: our prosecutors are back to work full-time. Broward State Attorney Michael Satz informed his minions yesterday via e-mail -- which came across the Pulp transom -- that the payroll should be good to the end of the year, thanks to "fiscal restraints" and a hiring freeze. 

Satz is also hoping the state legislature doesn't gut his budget next year. Here's the text:

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From:   ADM1 - Michael Satz 
Sent:   Monday, February 02, 2009 4:34 PM
To:     _All SAO Units
Subject:        Furloughs

I am pleased to inform you that we will be suspending our furloughs effective February 1st. This means that your February 27^th paycheck will not have a furlough day deduction.

We are cautiously optimistic that our current fiscal restraints and hiring freeze should allow us to process full payrolls through June 30^th the final day of the fiscal year. This means our hiring freeze must remain in effect; employees who resign will not be replaced.   We obviously do not know what the Legislature will do during the regular legislative session that begins March 3^rd and there is always a possibility that we may have to reinstate the furloughs prior to June 30^th.

I am also pleased that the Legislature, in the recent special budget cutting session, recognized that public safety should not be subject to across the board cuts and our reduction was less than expected.

As mentioned earlier the Legislature meets again in March for their regular session. During this session they will formulate the state budget for 2009-2010 which begins July 1.  Although we are being warned that additional budget cuts will be considered due to the continued downturn of our economy, we cannot determine the impact until it is finalized.

This office was scheduled to be closed on February 16^th as our furlough day. Many of you have made plans with your families since schools will be closed, and so I have decided that this office will continue to be closed. Thereafter, as long as we do not need to impose furloughs, we will return to our regular SAO Court Holiday Leave policy.

I would like to take this opportunity to let you know that I am especially proud of this office and the continued team effort everyone has made to get us through these very difficult times.