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Crist Gives State Workers 2 Days Off As Holiday Gift

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The Associated Press

Published: December 19, 2008

TALLAHASSEE - Gov. Charlie Crist played Santa Claus to state workers, who have gone two years without a cost-of-living pay raise, by giving them a holiday gift — two paid days off — as a token of appreciation.

As Florida struggles with a looming budget shortfall, Crist today directed that state executive branch buildings be closed on the day after Christmas and the day after New Year's, which both fall on a Thursday this year.

"We thought it would be kind of nice and show appreciation — appropriate appreciation — to give those two Fridays off," Crist said.

Many employees already planned to use personal leave time on Dec. 26 and Jan. 2, when typically little business is done, Crist said. Now they can save those days to use at another time.

Crist also expects the state to save money on utilities and management expense by keeping the buildings shut.

Employees who still must work on the two Fridays, including state troopers and prison guards, will be able to take two other days off before the budget year ends on June 30, said Linda McDonald, spokeswoman for the Department of Management Services.

The Republican governor announced the gift at a news conference with Democratic Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda of Tallahassee, who came up with the idea. She initially asked, though, for two weeks of paid time off for the employees, thousands of whom are her constituents.

"I came forward and asked for a pony," Vasilinda said. "We got a kitten, and I'm very pleased about it."

Doug Martin, spokesman for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said it's a welcome gift for state workers who repeatedly have been asked to sacrifice in difficult economic times.

"It's not exactly news that morale has been very low for a couple years," Martin said in an interview. "This is not nothing. This is a gesture that is appreciated."

Crist's announcement came as his strategists have been batting around the idea of temporarily furloughing employees — without pay — to help avoid a projected $2.3 billion budget deficit this year. The governor said he hopes that doesn't happen.

"That is not our desire," Crist said.

Martin, though, said furloughs would be better than layoffs.

Crist and Vasilinda were joined at the news conference by Mavis Knight, deputy director of the governor's appointments office, who will mark 30 years as a state employee on Sunday.

"It's for people like Mavis that we should do this," Crist said. He then turned to Knight and said, "Enjoy your days off."

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