Representative Ty Cobb

Bill to save hundreds of state workers from layoffs expected on House floor Monday

NASHVILLE  – On Tuesday, the House State & Local Government Committee recommended passage of House Bill 419, a bill designed to give Governor Bredesen’s administration more options to protect jobs during the current financial slowdown.

“For our economy to really begin to recover, we must make sure people have jobs and are earning enough to spend it on goods and services,” said State Representative Cobb (D-Columbia). “In tough economic times layoffs must be a last resort, not the only option available, and this bill allows for alternatives to drastic workforce cuts.”

Under current law, when a department is asked to reduced budgeted workforce costs by a specific dollar amount, the administration has only the option to terminate employees for those areas. Employees in those department can apply to work in different departments, but must first be terminated and lose all seniority and status before being able to apply to a different position.

House Bill 419 will allow the administration to review all state agencies for alternatives to layoffs and will also allow current employees to have the potential option to transfer between departments if similar positions are available. Instead of cutting 30 jobs from one department, the department may be able to cut back hours of operation temporarily and furlough the employees of the department for one day a week, thus reducing costs. While the employees would be taking a financial hit by working fewer hours, the 30 employees that would have been terminated are now able to retain their jobs.

“As we deal with this economic crisis, everyone in Tennessee is being asked to make some sacrifices,” said Cobb. “But if we can help people keep their jobs today, we will put ourselves that much closer to financial recovery tomorrow.”

The bill is scheduled to be heard on the floor of the House of Representatives on Monday.