On Wednesday afternoon, Gov. David Ige announced he will delay furloughs for state employees, prompting the Hawaii State Department of Education to inform employees that “the scheduled Jan. 4 furlough day will no longer be implemented. We are pleased that teachers will get a dedicated workday back on Jan. 4 to prepare for the second semester. The Feb. 12 furlough day and future dates may be revised if and/or when President Trump approves the current COVID-19 relief bill.
“While this is a positive development made possible through Congressional action, it is expected to be a temporary reprieve. The state is still facing severe budget challenges and we anticipate labor savings will still be required of state agencies in future fiscal years,” HIDOE said in its email to employees.
Corey Rosenlee, Hawaii State Teachers Association president, said, “HSTA is happy that Governor Ige has decided to delay furloughs. We believe with Congress passing the stimulus package, which includes $200 million for Hawaii public schools, there is more than enough funding to avoid school furloughs altogether.”
HSTA will live stream a Q&A session on Monday, Dec. 28, at 4 p.m. on our Facebook page and YouTube channel to brief you on the latest developments. You can ask your question live during the session or submit it directly to us here.
Have a happy and safe holiday season.