Minnesota state government employees have been officially warned they’ll be sidelined if no budget is approved by the end of June.
Layoff notices began arriving over the holiday weekend. Gov. Tim Walz sent a follow-up message on Tuesday to remind thousands of state employees that lack of a new budget would temporarily put them out of work.
It’s the first visible sign of planning for a possible shutdown that would start on July 1. Other notices will go out to affected people and programs, a step needed even if lawmakers enact a new budget in time.
In his letter, Walz calls the notice a formality the executive branch is obligated to provide and that he will do what he can to make sure the work stoppage doesn’t come to fruition.
“This past year has been unbelievably challenging, and I’m sorry that the budget situation at the Legislature causes additional stress and uncertainty,” Walz wrote. “I will continue to do everything I can to reach a balanced budget agreement in time to avert a shutdown.”
As part of the notice, employees are reminded that they would either be laid off or placed on unpaid leave. They won’t be automatically paid for time missed, but they could collect unemployment.
There were previous partial government shutdowns in 2005 and 2011 over incomplete budgets.
A bill considered in 2019 would have assured furlough pay in the event of a shutdown. It didn’t become law.
Some workers in essential roles could be required to keep working no matter what.
The Legislature will come into special session this month for potential budget votes. But so far full agreement on that $52 billion two-year plan remains subject to negotiation.
There has been little public deliberation involving top lawmakers of the Republican-led Senate and DFL-led House since the regular session ended on May 17.
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