Judge Temporarily Blocks Furlough of State Workers

Source: NY Times

ALBANY — A federal judge temporarily blocked on Wednesday a one-day furlough of state workers scheduled by Gov. David A. Paterson for next week, reversing a plan that Mr. Paterson has said is necessary to keep the state from running out of money at the end of the month.

Judge Lawrence E. Kahn of United States District Court issued a temporary restraining order against Mr. Paterson, after unions representing state employees and public university teachers filed a lawsuit alleging that the furloughs, approved by the Legislature on Monday, were illegal.

Judge Kahn’s ruling (see below) also bars Mr. Paterson from seeking any further furloughs pending a hearing in his chambers, scheduled for May 26.

In his ruling, the judge wrote that the furloughs, which could cost roughly 100,000 state workers a day’s pay, would cause irreparable harm if put into effect and that the unions were likely to win their case in court, two conditions for issuing a temporary restraining order.

Read more: http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/12/judge-bars-furlough-of-state-workers/?partner=rss&emc=rss